Fissure, game and revelations
by Eorendel
Summary: Izaya always watched his steps. What if that changed? Everything that it never was, now it is. Another day, another sunrise. Love has many meanings. Love has many ways. There is not such a thing like emptiness in a bond. Shizaya. "You could be happy." AU.
1. Chapter 1

If life is a game... is a game we play... then just play it.

If love can make your day... then just say it.

If both have a knack of playing death... then betray them.

•Contemptuous•

The last words were always mockery. Always ready to make a hurtful remark. He liked to talk. He liked to talk a lot. He lived for it! To spit nonsense! That annoying, gaudy guy! Always looking down on everyone. Always making a mess of everybody's life. Always sucking out the life of the people, like a _flea_. Cold-blooded parasite!

Heiwajima Shizuo did not have high regards of the person he was thinking of.

Not a shred.

Certainly, Shizuo was in a really bad mood.

The cause?

Orihara Izaya. The informant had made a quick visit to the blond. How nice of him. Really...

The routine went as it normally did. Izaya played with words, taunting the ticking human bomb called Shizuo, and it ended as it normally did.

Destruction of public property_._

When the _touching_ reunion ended, Shizuo grumbled. Well, it was more like he made low, disgusted growls. Tanaka Tom, Shizuo's boss, bore the wreckage left after it.

_Why?_ Tom asked inwardly, while he made a mental note of the bills he was probably going to administrate in the near future.

Meanwhile, Shizuo was chanting a dangerous mantra: _kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill that flea..._

Why did Izaya have to make these kind of "visits"? Why couldn't he just stay away and leave for real? When would this unhealthy pattern stop?

When would Orihara Izaya be on his way out of their lives...?

The reality, or their wishes, in this case, might be closer than Tom or Shizuo could have thought. The events of what happened after that common reunion were the last vestige of normality Shizuo and Izaya ever had.

Everything could change in a second.

Izaya and Shizuo were no exception to the rule.

•••••

The rain poured down. Cold enshrouded the city. The water fell from the sky all day long. The moon couldn't appear. The noise of the water dripping, hitting the concrete, clattering against metal, against windows, throbbed inside Izaya's head. He felt as if his brain could explode in his skull.

It hurt. But he didn't care. The glass touched his lips and its contents made its way into his system. The same cycle repeated again and again, like he'd been doing recently.

Izaya's office was without a single light. Only the dim light provided from the outside shyly made its way into the apartment.

The noise did not stop.

_Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip..._

The door opened briskly and the lights were turned on. Izaya flinched, covering his eyes with his hand.

"Could you kindly explain to me _why_ you are drinking... _again_?"

"Oh, Namie, could you kindly explain to me _why_ you are here... and at this hour?" Izaya said tiredly, ignoring Namie's question.

Namie huffed. "I forgot something," was all she said.

Paying little to no attention to the woman, Izaya went back to his drink. The stare Namie was giving him was everything but timid.

"...you are more human than I thought..." she commented, while she searched through the cabinets of her desk.

Izaya barely glanced at her.

"...and a more pathetic one too," was the cold remark.

Izaya made a half grin. "Pathetic? Haha, that's funny. Being called pathetic by an even more pathetic person. Calling me pathetic, when you can't even get a hold of your sick love. Why don't you face it? Your brother will never love you back. You said you're content just breathing the air he breathes. Ha, if you are breathing for love, then you're going to suffocate in a couple of years..."

Namie stared from the doorframe while Izaya kept talking.

"...Poor you, your little brother prefers to be with a dead head than with his own sister... Oh, that's right, I forgot. He prefers to be with the fake image of a dead head, with a crazy stalker chick, than with the person who took care of him for years..." Izaya sipped from his glass. "...And you're calling me pathetic..." Izaya slumped in his couch.

"Are you done?" Namie asked, unaffected by Izaya's words.

"Nah, but I'm tired, and you're not worthy of my time..."

"And the drink is?"

"Yup."

"Pathetic." And the door slammed shut.

Izaya growled. "You left the lights on!"

•••••

Something wasn't right. Shizuo could feel it. That eerie sensation was ringing. That annoying sensation had been bugging him since a month ago. He'd been on guard since then. As if a gang would pop out from any corner, or a slasher, or an assassin, or an alien, or-or... well, many things.

But mostly, his defenses were up for a certain black-haired man who hadn't showed his face in the city for over three months.

'Maybe... maybe he died... no... I can't be happy... 'till I have proof. I can't have hope , since he's like a cockroach- you can't be sure it's dead 'till you smash its head and make a pulp of its body...' Shizuo's mind went on in a very graphic way.

"Shizuo," Tom called, and Shizuo complied.

They were doing the last job of the day. The place of the recollection was at the far end of the city. Shizuo didn't go to that area often. When the cries and pleas of mercy were over, of course they were from the client, they went back to the city.

The return was peaceful until a cry of pain shouted up to the sky.

Shizuo and Tom exchanged glances, but decided to not pry into it. However, several cries of pain followed, and their curiosity was too much to bear. Shizuo and Tom peeked around the corner of an alley. As soon as their heads were around the edge of the building, a body came flying in their direction.

The body landed with a painful thud.

"S-Stay away from me!" a man shouted, while his trembling hand pointed a gun at a smaller man. Said man didn't flinch at the shouting voice. Instead, he moved forward, pressing the gun to his own head. The man's hands were shaking in fear, as if he saw his own death in the smaller man's eyes.

"Hey." The man flinched at the word. Although the taller should be in peace, since he was holding the gun at the guy's head, he couldn't help but to feel fear- immense fear.

"Come on, you can do better than this. After all, I did give you folks an advantage~ Your _pals_ were really clueless at what to do, right? Well, I suppose you are one of those ignorant newbies, too, right? You don't need to worry, I'll teach you. First..." The smaller took hold of the gun, and the man almost let an indignant yelp slip from his mouth.

"...You have to hold the gun still, okay?-" The voice was smiling. "-Then press it to reduce the chance of missing. Of course, this technique is for close-range situations, but nevertheless is a good tip. Anyway, after you have unlocked the safety, pull the trigger."

The lesson ended and the man holding the gun was wetting his pants.

"I said, _pull the trigger_." The voice came, more forceful and commanding. The man was a tear away from crying.

"Do I have to repeat myself? Seriously, how hopeless is your Neanderthal brain, I said pull th-"

"L-Let me g-go," the man's voice cracked repeatedly.

"Pardon? You are the one taking me hostage, remember?"

"P-Please, j-just let-let me-"

"I can't. You think that I am going to do that? I-"

It was a simple question, asked with a refreshing voice, but the man passed out before he could hear the rest of the sentence.

"Alas, these... are just... I can't even find a word to describe the utter uselessness of these men..." The complaint was very sincere.

"Izaya...?" Shizuo asked with an unreadable expression.

Izaya lifted his gaze as the police sirens sounded in the vicinities.

•••••

"...That was... confusing..." Tom said, as he sipped his coffee. Shizuo and Tom were in a coffee shop. "He didn't even notice us until you spoke."

There was no reply from his employee.

"Shizuo... are you okay?"

"Yeah... I just... I'm going home," Shizuo said, and left.

After Shizuo called Izaya's name, the police were in the opposite corner of the alley. The normal thing Izaya would have done, was run. Yes, Shizuo was absolutely positive of it. But it didn't happen. Izaya let himself be dragged off by handcuffs and yells from the police force.

Tom and Shizuo were dumbfounded.

What he saw wasn't real, right? It was a trick... or some kind of scheme made by Izaya. Yes, that was it.

Yeah, that was it...

•••••

'It's been a week and the flea hasn't come around...' Shizuo thought, while he paced through the streets of the city.

Shizuo hadn't forgotten that incident. He just couldn't let it go. It was something that he'd learned throughout the years he'd been with Izaya.

It felt wrong.

It was not normal.

It wasn't like it normally felt.

Shizuo was getting angry. That wasn't good at all.

Not one bit.

The passers-by, as they saw Shizuo's murderous aura arise, fled from the place. Anger and frustration boiled up inside him, ready to be released.

The next second, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

"I did everything you said... The job is done... I'm waiting for my payment..."

A soft murmur sounded a bit after.

"What?"

"Goodness! This is so cute~"

A stern silence.

"...Orihara-san...?"

"Oh no! Such a cute little kitten! ... Um, you're not running away? ... Can I pet you?" Izaya was practically squealing in delight, minding his time with a black stray cat.

"...Orihara-san... please... get up from the ground..."

Izaya played with the dirty cat, moving his finger above its head. His back was to the man who stared impassively at him, and after a couple of moments, Izaya spoke:

"...Can an impulsive love overcome bloody hatreds?" A tread of sadness hung on his words.

"Wha-"

"...use it when it's useful, get rid of it when it's an obstacle... or so they say..."

The man was lost and so was Shizuo. Izaya was talking in riddles.

"Perhaps you want something more from me?" the man asked hastily, before Izaya could do or say more.

"I don't want anything… Nothing... Nothing that I really care about..." Izaya stopped playing with the cat for a moment. "Your payment will be sent this afternoon. You can go."

Without a word, the man left the alley, heading to the main street.

Izaya stroked the cat's head, smiling at it. "Hey... will you do the same for me?" The cat lifted its yellow eyes, gazing intently at Izaya's. "...Will you?"

The cat moved, walking away.

•••••

Shizuo stared at the crouched man. An exquisite mix of feelings was revolving inside his being.

He couldn't name all of them, but surely, confusion was one.

But it was not confusion concerning Izaya's words. The confusion was about the fact that he was not angry. Although Izaya was there, he could not get mad.

For the first time since the beginning of their "relationship," he could breathe.

'Huh?'

_Why?_

Before the answer could flow unto Shizuo, Izaya rose from the ground and stopped mid-air when his eyes set on Shizuo.

What to do. What to do.

Ha.

•••••

"Izaaayaaaaaa!"

"Nope. Bad! Bad Shizu-chan! Sit!"

Yup, they were back to normal again. Shizuo was tailing Izaya while the informant was running away.

"You damn flea, stop!"

Izaya jumped over a metal fence, landing gracefully on the other side. "Okay, listen, brute, I do NOT want to fight today, so please shoo-shoo."

"Do you expect me to turn away after you've insulted me?" Shizuo's voice was low... and deadly.

"Yes," Izaya grinned, and ran away when the fence was pulled out from the concrete.

The chase began again.

Why was Shizuo chasing after Izaya, if before he was feeling everything but angry? Well, it was because of Izaya's face. Shizuo simply felt a twitch, and in the next second, many of the awful memories of his past with Izaya flowed in. After that, Izaya saw his face and ran away. Later, a couple of insults were shared, and it ended with:

"Izaya, come down... NOW."

"I refuse~," Izaya stuck his tongue out at Shizuo.

"I'm gonna rip that stair out if you don't come down!" Shizuo warned.

"Do you realize that, with those words, not only will I refuse, but also say that your IQ is low and almost nonexistent? Just think of the possibilities if I come down. One, you will kill me. Two, you will hit me. Three, well, the other two reasons are enough to explain my point. But also, why would I leave this place if it's secure enough to keep me away from you? Can you say something against this logic?"

"I don't fucking care! Come down or I'll make you!"

"One thing, though, out of curiosity, what are you planning to do, if for mere coincidence of fate, I agree to come down?"

"I'm gonna tie you down with this post."

"The metallic one that you are holding?"

"Yah."

"Hm, I see... well, my answer is: I refuse. So go away, _Shizuo..._"

At that, Shizuo perked his ears and for a second he was able to hear Izaya murmuring "...Y_ou aren't like him at all_..."

"What?"

"I said _go away_."

"No, after that."

"...I do not know what are you talking about..."

"Liar."

"...Say what you want to say. If it makes you happy, please go ahead, enjoy! And if it makes you so happy that you think you could explode, then please go ahead and die." Izaya grinned.

A very distressing cracking noise sounded beneath Izaya.

Izaya cursed when the emergency stair begun to creak.

"Shizu-chan, do you realize that this stair has a purpose for the innocent people that live here? How could they escape if a fire starts? Hm? Are you going to save them? After all, you are the one ripping it out from its place. Don't you have morals?"

Shizuo stopped for a moment. What? Izaya was right? Impossible!

When the blond was about to speak, a ring sounded.

"Hello?" Izaya answered his cellphone.

"Yes...No, I'm free..."

At that, Shizuo twitched. 'You aren't free!'

"...What is it? …" Izaya seemed content.

"...Oh... I see... Yeah, I... I understand..."

'What happened?' Shizuo frowned, and his eyes locked on Izaya's face. He seemed melancholic?

"...NO! I'm totally fine! Don't worry!" Even to Shizuo, that tone of voice didn't seem convincing.

"...Seriously, I'm fine! You don't have to be so formal..."

'That again! He- Izaya seems...sad...'

After a couple of moments, the call ended and a rather uncomfortable silence settled in.

"You are not going to let me go, are you?" Izaya asked in dry tone.

"Wha?" Before Shizuo could actually think of what Izaya was saying, the raven- haired man began to undress.

"W-W-What the hell are you doing?" Shizuo asked, confused and half-flushed.

When the jacket was off, Izaya gave Shizuo a weird look, as if saying, "It's not a big deal, it's just my jacket..."

Izaya wrapped it around his right arm and with force, smashed it against one of the windows of the building.

Shizuo stared.

"I have three more routes of escape. You have a very low probability to catch me. So, I recommend you give up."

Shizuo was left dumbfounded once again, but this time, holding a staircase.

•••••

"Shizuo-kun, thinking too much isn't good for your health."

"Are you calling me stupid?" Shizuo asked menacingly.

"No! I'm sorry! Celty, my love, help!" Shinra threw his body to Celty, who dodged it.

[Eh? What happened here?] Celty showed her PDA to Shizuo.

"Nothing much, it's just Shinra calling me stupid," Shizuo said.

Celty turned to her roommate in a scolding manner. [Shinra, don't bother poor Shizuo!]

"What? What! I didn't do anything! I was just talking to him, and Izaya's name slipped out and he suddenly spaced out and-and-and it's true! Thinking too much isn't good for our health!" Shinra wailed.

After a moment, Celty and Shizuo ignored Shinra.

[How are you, Shizuo? I haven't see you around lately.]

"Yeah, work has been tough lately."

[I see.]

"Yah."

"I don't like to be ignored." Shinra pouted.

[…]

"..."

"Celty, honey! You shouldn't take Shizuo's example! Your cuteness is going to rot!"

[Stop saying weird stuff...]

"What did you say, Shinra?"

"Hehehe," Shinra chuckled nervously.

**BAM!**

The door opened. Everyone in the room stared, shocked at the person who entered Celty and Shinra's apartment.

"You!" Izaya glared at Shinra. The raven-haired man's shirt was tainted in blood.

"W-Wha?" Before Shinra could ask more, Izaya strode toward him, holding his jacket carefully.

"I'll pay you anything, just check her."

"Who?" Shinra looked everywhere, and finally laid his eyes on the bundle in Izaya's arms.

Shinra inspected it for a moment. "...A cat?"

"No, it's an alien."

[Alien? !]

"Celty, honey, no, it's a cat. Calm down. Okay, Izaya-kun, what the heck is going on?"

"I'm telling you to treat her."

"...I'm not a vet..."

"Look, before you rant about ethical crap and so on, I'll tell you that I'll pay a ridiculous amount of money for her treatment-"

Shinra interrupted, "How much?"

"The sum is almost obscene," Izaya said.

"Okay! Bring the kitty over here please~"

"You are so predictable, my friend," Izaya said with a sigh. But his relief was there.

Ah, right. Izaya didn't even know about Shizuo's existence until later that night.

•To be continued•

™ **© ® to Narita Ryohgo** **creator of Durarara! **

**I do not own anything whatsoever.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for your support! :D**

•Finding Love•

The room was eerily quiet. No one was talking, but soon that uncomfortable silence was replaced by a very _unique_ conversation.

"Do you know what I meant when I said that you better not screw this up, or I'm going to make your future miserable?" Izaya said with a devious smile, looking at the non-vet work with the _patient,_ a non-human.

"Orihara-kun, it hurts me when you say those unfriendly words. A doctor of my caliber is more than capable of doing this kind of procedure! And you already make my present miserable sometimes. Well, that aside. The curiosity greatly resounds in my heart ~!" Shinra said, making a sly smile.

Izaya listened and watched from his position, tilting his head to Shinra, like saying 'go ahead, speak.'

"Orihara-kun, are you in love?"

"…"

-Huh, the eerie silence came back.

"What the hell are you saying?" Izaya asked, his tone annoyed.

"It's this stray cat, isn't it? You are in love with this kitty! Something that isn't human! This brings me to the conclusion that the end of the world is here! Finally! I shall be able to expend the eternity of the afterlife with Celty! Aha! Love and justice always prevails!"

"Though your logic amuses me immensely, and your _special _occurrences ignite the flame of my love for humanity, I do not wish to speak about my love life or likes or the end of the world, if that's the case, when you are holding a scalpel and stabbing it into someone's leg," Izaya said sarcastically.

"So do you promise to talk with me about it when I've finished?" Shinra's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"Whatever, just do your work. I'm paying you for it."

"I have not seen a single cent yet."

"_Do your work_," Izaya hissed darkly.

"Oh my, you're so grumpy today."

After their small talk, Shinra resumed his work.

Making a transversal cut on the shaved leg of the cat, Shinra inserted two fingers, trying to relocate the bone into its original position, and with a soft _snap_, the job was done. Afterwards, Shinra began to suture the incision. A couple of minutes more, and the gash was closed. Red blood tinted the operation table; towels were used to stop the blood from dripping onto the floor.

The cat was still sedated, the room smelled of chemicals, and the x-ray scan was still on the wall where Izaya was standing. While Shinra was finishing up by wrapping the cat's leg with a bandage, Izaya sat on a chair tiredly. The raven-haired man glanced at his tainted shirt and sighed quite dreadfully.

His jacket was also ruined. He checked the time on his phone and mused quietly. O_ne in the morning; he still had time_.

Shinra was about to finish when Izaya spoke:

"Shinra, can I borrow a shirt? Mine no longer has a use, but sadly, I loved it." Izaya smiled hollowly.

"Sure, wait a second." After finishing, Shinra walked out of the room, and glanced behind him, just because.

For a second, he saw something very rare. For the first time, he could see something aside from scorn in Izaya's eyes.

True care and concern.

•••••

[So, what exactly happened?] Celty typed.

"Nothing much, I just fixed the cat's leg: a few stitches and a standard wrapping. For a stray, she's healthy. Izaya told me that she got into a dogs' fight. Very brave, that little thing. But really, I am more impressed with him, because he got into that fight, too! A fight for a cat! Can you believe it?" Shinra talked while he rummaged through some cabinets in search of a shirt.

[I see. No, wait. Why did he bring a CAT to be treated by you? !]

"He trusts me… I guess...?"

[But my point is that _why_ is he concerned about... a cat...?]

"I haven't talked with him just yet. But I am going to do it as soon as possible. After all, it is a very hot topic!"

[Don't say "hot topic"... That's not even in context...]

"Why? It's very intriguing, don't you think~?" Shinra smiled. "And you are going to be the first person to know the secret when I-"

Shinra stopped talking when his eyes caught a glimpse of smoke ascending from the couch of his living room.

"Is that who I think it is?" Shinra asked, worried.

[Yes... He is watching wrestling...]

"Why?"

[Because he likes it?]

"No, honey, I mean why is Shizuo still here?"

Celty didn't type on her PDA.

"Has he been waiting for five hours...?"

[Yes.]

"It's one in the morning... He wants to beat Izaya that much...?"

[...I don't think it's that...]

"Huh? What do you mean, honey?"

[Well...]

Before Celty could type more, the door behind Shinra opened, pushing Shinra forwards harshly. With open arms Shinra launched, more than obviously eager, to Celty's front. Shinra flew almost in slow motion, but lamentably, Celty reacted in a way that Shinra couldn't expect.

A fist met his nose.

•••••

[I'm sorry! I'm so sorry, Shinra!]

"Noh, it'sh okaysh~! Ceshlty honeysh it'sh okaysh!" Shinra tried to speak while he held his nose with a handkerchief, stopping the blood from coming out.

[It was a reflex! I-] Celty's hand stopped typing when Shinra smiled at her, still with his nostrils filled with tissues, though.

"It's okay. I don't mind. I'm more than happy to be touched by these pretty hands. A hit, a jab, a caress... I'm more than willing to get all of it if it's coming from you, my beautiful love."

What a touching moment. However, fate had other plans.

"If you want your space... I understand... but can you say it earlier... y'know?" Shizou said, a bit flushed from the intimate moment between his friends, watching from the opposite side of the living room.

Just like that... the beautiful moment shattered.

How unfair.

•••••

[Um, um, Shizuo...? (^∀^) ] Celty typed, while Shrina said in a corner "_woe is me_".

"...Yeah?" Shizuo said, tearing his eyes from the TV screen.

[I want to ask you something... ＼(^o^) Promise me that you won't get mad? (*^Д^*) ]

"...'Kay, but stop making those faces..."

[I was just wondering... Well, you know... You've been here since yesterday and... well...]

Yes, since yesterday, because it was already one in the morning.

"Spit it out, Celty."

[Why are you staying under the same roof as Izaya?]

-Good question.

"I'm not."

-Eh?

[What?]

"The flea isn't here." Shizuo went back to the wrestling again.

"Shizuo, has your hatred gone so overboard that you are suppressing the mere existence of Izaya from this earth and your mind?" Shinra suddenly rose from his dark corner. "Is your brain collapsing during these tense moments of interrogation made by my cute Celty? Can I dissect-ah!"

[Shinra!]

Who would have thought that a remote control could be used as a weapon...

Shinra fainted soon after the impact.

•••••

Certainly, Shizuo was right. Izaya had left the place almost immediately after Celty's amazing punch had knocked Shinra out.

He had an important appointment, after all.

Izaya ran as fast as he could into the dark night. Only the streetlights were illuminating his path. Panting a little from exhaustion, Izaya looked at his destination. A half-ruined building. The only lights were on top of the building. Huffing in discontent, Izaya surveyed the area, while he put a pair of tiny earphones in his ears. Soon after, his suspicions were confirmed. Two nasty looking men walked from the north corner of the building.

Hiding, Izaya jumped on top of a pile of barrels and launched himself onto the nearest windowsill. Using his upper arms, he supported his weight and got inside the building.

The floor was empty. Moving quietly, he moved forwards, going floor by floor up to the highest one.

All the lights were on on that floor, but only one room was being used. Just as the door opened, Izaya entered the next room. Izaya held his breath, thinking he got caught. After a couple of moments, nothing happened, and Izaya continued with his task.

Izaya went to the window in that room, opening it quietly. He considered the distance and the angle of his next move.

Izaya moved to the windowsill, stepping on its edge, balancing his weight to get at the next window. The cold wind of the night hit his skin, but he didn't waver in his steps. Pushing his back further against the concrete wall, Izaya finally made it to the window of the room that was being occupied.

He pulled a little device from his pocket, setting it carefully on the glass of the window. A bit after, the sound emitted in the room reached his earphones. Five men were talking in low voices, talking about plans for the future, decisions and at last, the little piece of information that Izaya was looking for.

"...All have been set up...We'll finish them tomorrow..." a deep, gentle voice said.

"It's alright...? This is a rash decision, even for you..." another man said.

A few steps were made.

"What the hell are you saying...?" another voice said annoyingly.

The moon shone brightly in the darkness.

"...Tsugaru-san's plans always work!"

The deep, gentle voice said, "Thank you for your kind words, but it's just my work. Selling my skills is like any other job... for example…"

The man went to the window, opening it gently, smiling.

"Selling information like Orihara-san does."

•To be continued•


	3. Chapter 3

**Recap:**

The moon shone brightly in the darkness.

"...Tsugaru-san's plans always work!"

The deep gentle voice said, "Thank you for your kind words, but it's just my work. Selling my skills is like any other job... for example…"

The man went to the window, opening it gently, smiling.

"Selling information like Orihara-san does."

•Chasm•

"Tsugaru-san... what are you talking about?"

The man turned his head, still smiling. "Nothing, I was just talking to myself. Well, since the plans are settled, shall we end this meeting?"

"...Sure..." The men seemed puzzled at Tsugaru's behavior.

Tsugaru stuck his head out of the windowsill slightly. "Orihara-san, I would recommend you to go right now. It would be very troublesome to have a fight at this hour of the night..."

Izaya's eyes tried to set the man's head on fire. However, it seemed to be that it wasn't working, so he smirked instead.

"Oh, are you worried about me?"

Tsugaru glanced briefly behind him, and he smiled at Izaya afterwards. "Not at all. I know very well that you are capable of dodging, flipping, jumping and running better than anyone I know. However, I want you to go, because if you ruin my work-" His smile was still there, but his tone and eyes were cold. "-I will take the necessary measures."

Izaya's smirk didn't flatter. "Is a threat, Tsu-chan?"

"Of course not. It's a warning. Just do whatever you want to do after my plan is set. I only care for the development; the ending is meaningless." Tsugaru withdrew, but soon after stuck his head out of the window again. "By the way, very cute shirt. That teddy bear suits you."

And he was gone.

Izaya looked at the front of his shirt.

"...Damn you, Shinra..."

•••••

"Achoo!" Shinra sneezed.

"I threw the remote at you. You don't have a reason to sneeze," Shizuo said as a matter of fact.

"Shizuo-kun, you have to control your anger a bit more. I was asking something very reasonable-"

"You were gonna ask me for a dissection, weren't you?" Shizuo said, turning to Shinra darkly.

[Calm down Shizuo.] Celty typed, hoping to appease the other.

"Can you blame me?" Shinra pushed. "You didn't do anything when Izaya was here, and you didn't react when he left, so I'm a bit puzzled."

"It's too late in the night. If I kill him now, then it's gonna disturb the neighborhood."

….

"Ahh, that was it... You don't cease to amaze me, Shizuo-kun..." Shinra deadpanned.

[Shinra, are you okay?]

"Honey, you are the only one that I can call sane..."

[Um, thank you...?]

"Anyway, why are you still here, Shizuo?" Shinra just wanted to go to bed with Celty, already!

"When the morning comes, I'm gonna beat the flea into a pulp. That's all. You can go to sleep, have good dreams."

Now Shinra and Celty's thoughts were filled with dreadful, gory images where Shizuo was using the oven in a way that wasn't allowed.

"I'm not sleepy. And you, honey?"

[I want to see more of that wrestling.]

•••••

Izaya walked tiredly through the streets of the city, cursing Shinra's sense of fashion, and cursing his own stupidity. He was wearing a damn shirt with a teddy bear hugging a heart. Well, it wasn't Shinra's entire fault. He should have paid more attention when he'd put it on.

However, the shirt itself was not the problem. The fact that Tsugaru had seen it was the problem. That damned bastard was going to tease him forever.

"They are so different... yet the same..." Izaya mused aloud, hiding his hands in his pant pockets.

Tsugaru, the person who was the counterpart of Shizuo. Literally. Their looks were the same: height, weight, tone of skin, and so on. Though, Tsugaru's hair was jet-black, and his personality was remarkably _acid_ in comparison with Shizuo's.

As a joke of fate, Izaya got the chance to meet this person in an underground meeting place. As his work required it, Izaya was searching for information. Of course, he had underlings who could do that kind of job. However, there were places where his own abilities were needed, so he headed to the place.

It ended in Izaya almost having a heart-attack.

Shizuo was there, wearing a suit and talking jovially with other clients.

After a few moments, his emotions were under control and Izaya saw the reality. That man wasn't his Shizu-chan. Because Shizuo did not have black hair, and he was sure that he would never dye it again. Not black, anyway. So Izaya observed the man more carefully, completely forgetting about his mission.

The time passed, and then something unexpected happened.

That man noticed Izaya staring.

With slight shock, Izaya tried to escape inconspicuously. He moved through the crowd of people. The exit was near, only inches away from him, but a hand stopped his retreat.

Izaya turned slowly, not quite sure what he should expect from this _clone_. What he saw stayed imprinted in his mind from that day on.

He was smiling at him. A true smile. _Shizuo_ was smiling at him.

Izaya should have noticed it. Izaya should have known better.

All smiles have a meaning.

•••••

The days passed and Izaya's curiosity only increased. What was he? Was he really a clone? Was he Shizzy's long lost bastard brother? Were they related at all? But the most important question, the most vital question, had been pushed to the back of mind, burying it deep into the darkness.

Why did he care?

Every time he saw Shizuo, only distaste and repulsion surged. But now, looking at the same face, a warm feeling traveled up to his chest.

He should have hated his face... Why he didn't hate it...? What was changing...?

_It doesn't matter..._ Izaya kept telling himself.

_I don't need to know..._ Izaya kept meeting with Tsugaru.

_I'm fine_...

•••••

Izaya smiled hollowly. The sun was rising slowly on the horizon. The elevator opened, and he pressed the button of Shinra's floor. New thoughts flowed into Izaya's mind.

'He is such a troublesome person... That personality of his is just exhausting; not even Shizu-chan can make me so mad. Perhaps it's because the bastard is smarter than the beast... I don't like him...'

'And yet you search his company...' his mind counterattacked.

Frustrated, Izaya punched the wall beside him.

'Why did I...?' Izaya was in front of Shinra's door. 'Why did I... With him...?'

Before he could think of anything else, roars sounded on the other side of the door. Slightly taken aback by the shouting voices, Izaya opened the door cautiously. Peeking in, he ventured inside the apartment.

The television was on, snacks and beer were on the small coffee-table, and Shizuo and Shinra were spread across the couch and floor, respectively.

Izaya stared blankly. He searched for the other tenant of the place. He didn't find the headless rider, but he found the laptop on, with a message on it.

[Shinra, a job came, so I'll be gone for a couple of hours. Do not drink. And stop giving Shizuo warm milk. Bye.]

Izaya turned his head to the unconscious pair. One drunk with beer and the other one with milk.

Hilarious.

•••••

Shizuo woke up slowly, yawning. Darn, how he hated mornings. Then, his nose caught a delicious scent. Rapidly, Shizuo made the list of the ingredients in his mind: salami and toast with poached eggs... and hollandaise sauce?

Who was cooking...?

He rose from the couch and set his eyes on the kitchen counter.

Shizuo was about to use the oven as a weapon, as a reflex, when his mind stopped working. Because a very reasonable question surfaced:

'What? He can do that? He can't, can he? Izaya can cook?'

_No way..._

The scene was like one of those where a hunter is faced by a dangerous beast. Izaya was holding a very looking sharp knife and Shizuo was advancing like a predator. Izaya stopped mid-chop on the salami, and turned to see the blond. They stared at each other for a moment, analyzing the possibilities. With a last glance, Izaya resumed his cooking.

Shizuo approached the counter and reached a chair, sitting on it. He was looking at the oven maliciously.

Izaya finished the meal, serving it in two plates.

Shizuo raised an eyebrow at the plate. 'Did he...?' Shizuo began to think.

"No, it wasn't for you. It was for Macha," Izaya cut off Shizuo's thoughts while chewing a part of his breakfast. "I made the breakfast, but afterwards I thought that after she wakes from the sedative, it will be probably too rough to eat this kind of food. And then you woke. That's the story."

But Shizuo wasn't listening, since the name "Macha" had been rolling around in his mind. As if reading Shizuo's mind, Izaya spoke in rather apathetic manner.

"The cat's name. That's her name. Macha is the name given to female cats in Celtic culture."Izaya gave Shizuo a glance that said _retard_ but kept explaining. "It's a ruthless bloodthirsty goddess of war, mother of life and death. An aggressive existence, suitable for her. A warrior goddess that feasts upon the heads of her fallen enemies." Izaya recalled the time when he found the cat in the fight. He felt kind of proud of it, since she could counterattack two dogs alone. She was incredible; that's why he liked her.

And his audience (Shizuo) had totally lost interest since the word "culture". The breakfast was far more interesting than culture.

But, alas, Shizuo realized that he was eating food made by Izaya.

_Eh?_

Half of the food was already in his tummy. What to do, what to do?

Izaya, once again, seemed to read Shizuo's mind.

Izaya calmly grabbed a fork, stabbed a piece of Shizuo's food, and ate it.

Seconds later, Shizuo frowned.

After swallowing, Izaya said, "It isn't poisoned."

"Now you touched it!" Shizuo was affronted.

Izaya lifted a eyebrow, un-amused by Shizuo's words, he said: "If you don't want it, give it to me. I'm not going to waste a fine breakfast on your childish tantrum. I'm speechless; humans are starving in other parts of the world, and you are refusing to eat because I tasted a tiny bit of your food. Now, I affirm that your humanity, and morals, for that matter, are zero."

Shizuo said no more and began to eat again. Izaya smirked; it worked. Guilt was a powerful weapon. Well, it wasn't as if he didn't have the tiniest bit of an idea on the things he talked about. Izaya was aware of the problems that assaulted the world. He tasted the fork, licking the stickiness left by the egg he had stabbed. From the corner of his eye he saw Shizuo staring.

Izaya gave an open look at what Shizuo was staring. The front of his shirt. Great.

"Isn't mine. Shinra's a dork," he explained.

"That explains it... You look creepy... The teddy bear doesn't suit a person like you..." Shizuo wanted to be rude.

That did amuse Izaya. "Heh, you're right," he said and lifted his plate, rinsing it in the dishwasher.

Shizuo, however, was shocked. Was Izaya agreeing with him?

Izaya finished, and left Shizuo frozen in his spot.

•••••

Shizuo was scrubbing his plate. Scowling. Yes, he could do the fucking dishes. Yes, he was a man that had two hands! So it wasn't as if he had expected Izaya to wash it for him! Not at all! Dammit!

Incredibly, the plate did not break. Shizuo scratched his blond locks. Shinra was still salivating on the floor. It was Sunday, so he didn't have any jobs from Tom-san. It was morning, so the neighbors shouldn't complain if he killed Izaya. Celty wasn't home, so she couldn't interfere. He cracked his fingers, and with a mad grin, he went to look for Izaya.

Of course he hadn't forgotten about Iza~ya~kun~!

He was a man of word! And he had promised to beat the flea into a pulp~!

And-and it didn't matter that Izaya had made breakfast for him. Not at all.

That wasn't entirely the truth, but whatever.

The last room was partially open. Like a member of the SWAT team, Shizuo pressed his back against the wall, peeking inside the room. At first glance, no one was there. He tried to move silently... but it didn't work. Growling to himself, he pushed the door open, ready to make a direct attack. When again, his mind got submerged into a state of shock.

Izaya was on the table where the cat (Macha was its name?) was resting. The cat was awake, while meanwhile, Izaya was sleeping. His hand was on one of the paws of the cat, completely lethargic.

Shizuo stopped in the middle of the room, musing profusely. The cat stared attentively at Shizuo's movements, round yellows eyes scanning every twitch of muscle.

'Am I in an alternative universe?' Shizuo scanned his surroundings. '...Mm, but I haven't lost consciousness... Well, yesterday might be... But everything seems normal...' He halted his thoughts, looking at Izaya, who was burying his face in the crook of his elbow. '...You are the only one that's acting weird... Those faces you were making that day... Your absence for three months... And you agreed with me a moment ago...' Shizuo's eyes widened.

"ALIEN!"

•••••

Macha hissed angrily at Shizuo's shout, and Izaya startled, half drowsy eyes staring at the other person.

He squinted his eyes. "...Tsug-?" Realizing his mistake, he said hastily, "Shizu-chan, you are so... ill-mannered..." Izaya murmured the last part, hiding his face in his arm again.

"What-what are you?" Shizuo truly believed his self-explanation of Izaya's behavior.

Izaya barely glanced at him and said tiredly, "Shizuo, please let me sleep. I haven't slept in two days in a row. If I sleep, I promise to hear all of your nonsense. Deal? Good." Izaya didn't wait for Shizuo's response, but fell asleep immediately.

Shizuo was a bit taken aback. Nevertheless, he didn't say more. Instead, he thought about what Izaya had said. 'Two days in a row?' That was new... Heck, everything these days were new.

If it had a relation with Izaya, that is.

Shizuo clicked his tongue, messing with his hair again. Argh! Now his killing intent had disappeared. That's unfair!

Shizuo was about to leave the place when purrs filled the room. Just from curiosity, Shizuo went back to where the cat was resting, next to Izaya.

The cat lifted its head lightly when Shizuo approached. Shizuo measured Macha: a medium cat, completely black, and yellow, copper eyes. If he recalled correctly, it seemed like the breed that's called some country, or was it a port? Kasuka liked cats, so he had some books, and thus Shizuo got to read them.

'Geh, I don't remember,' Shizuo thought lazily.

Its leg was bandaged with a purple fabric, resting comfortable on a fluffy pillow. The cat kept meowing and purring.

...Both annoying little things were black...

...It was kind of cute...

_Gasp._

•••••

He was an alien! He was an alien! _He Was An Alien_! HE WAS A FUCKING ALIEN!

**Alien...**

After the disturbing thought of Izaya being cute, Shizuo stormed out of Shinra's apartment. Only an alien or an unknown force full of power could make him think that way!

Several weeks passed and fortunately, Shizuo did not encounter Izaya at all. Though he shouldn't have been embarrassed in the first place, since Shizuo only thought about it. It isn't as if he had said it aloud.

Shoving the unimportant thoughts to the back of his mind, Shizuo decided to make a shortcut through a alley.

Shizuo felt some kind of déjà vú.

On the ground, three men lay unconscious. A lonely figure stood among the bodies.

After a moment, Izaya cursed. Shizuo stared confusedly at him. Izaya was holding his wrist.

"Oh? The louse is injured? But fleas are indestructible!" Shizuo sang the cruel words.

Izaya turned to him, tired red eyes trying to glare. But Izaya was in bad shape.

"You are sick." The words flew on their own, Shizuo couldn't stop them.

Izaya looked at him annoyingly. "I don't want to hear your idiotic attacks or insults right now, so if you'll excuse me." Izaya turned in the opposite direction.

"Hey, I didn't mean it to sound like that. You are sick, in more than one way, but that's beside the point. Are you ill?" Shizuo spoke, as he trotted to keep up with the shorter man.

Izaya moved faster, but due to his illness, it was harder to keep standing. Damn, he shouldn't have left the house.

"Oi, at least answer me," Shizuo demanded.

A sudden throb in his head obliged Izaya to stop at the corner of a building; he had to support his weight on the concrete wall. Cold sweat rolled from his temples.

_Damn, damn, dammit!_

Shizuo peered curiously in front of Izaya's face. "...You are pale... a little yellow too... Are you gonna die?" Shizuo smirked.

"I'm so happy to be your entertainment, Shizu-chan..." Izaya said with dark sarcasm.

Indeed, it was funny to see him like this. But Shizuo wasn't a bad person. He was going to help him, after a bit of teasing.

But.

Shizuo's plans couldn't be completed.

Footsteps sounded near the alley's exit. A man in a suit ventured into the alley where Shizuo and Izaya were. Shizuo straightened himself up, while Izaya slumped on the ground.

"My, my, I leave you alone for a couple of days, and this is what you become?" A refreshing, kind, but at the same time disturbing, voice spoke, directing his speech to Izaya.

"Oh, shut the fuck up," was Izaya's answer.

The man chuckled. "Grumpy, aren't we? Come on, up." The man was in front of Izaya, helping him to get up from the ground. Shizuo was near, but not close enough to clearly see the man's face.

Izaya made a soft groan.

"Oh my, your wrist is injured...? Don't tell me it's from before?"

Izaya didn't say anything.

The man stopped dragging Izaya and pushed the smaller against the wall. He smiled. He grabbed Izaya's jaw firmly with one hand, forcing him to look at his eyes, which were hidden under a fedora.

Izaya was obviously angry.

"Now, tell me." The man smiled coldly.

Izaya's lips twitched upwards, a smirk trying to surface, but controlled by the hand on his jaw.

"Make me."

The man's smile widened. "As you please." The man bent downward, face inching closer to Izaya's. The information broker didn't move; instead, his knife was pressed into the man's throat.

A few moments of tension passed, and then the man laughed.

He let his head drop onto Izaya's shoulder, still chuckling.

"You don't know the meaning of the word fear, do you?" The man smiled at Izaya, but this smile was slightly different. "...I suppose that's what I like about you."

Izaya was sweating a lot, and without further ado, he slid slowly to the ground. The man caught the smaller. Soon after, three men appeared in the alley. The man ordered them to carry Izaya to his car. The men did as they were told.

The man fixed his clothes and was about to the leave the alley as well, when a presence stopped his tracks.

"Oh, I apologize. I have not thanked you for looking after Orihara-san."

"I didn't do anythin'." Shizuo was pissed. He didn't know why.

The man smiled. "Humble, I see."

"I said I didn't do anythin', it's not my problem." He was gettin' on his nerves!

The man kept smiling. "Anyway, nice to meet you. Farewell."

"Who are you?" Shizuo asked, trying to control the rising heat produced by an inexplicable rage.

The man didn't turn, but said loud enough for Shizuo to hear, "I am Orihara-san's friend."

Shizuo wasn't convinced.

The man stopped and turned lightly, half of his face darkened by the position of the light. "But who are you to Orihara-san?" With a cold smirk he asked, "Are you anything at all?"

•To Be Continued•


	4. Chapter 4

**Warnings**: Slight mentions of different anime-mangas like: Shiki, Toradora!, Beelzebub, KatekyoHitman Reborn!, Akuma to love song (Devil and her love song), Darker than Black and Sasamekikoto (Whispered words).

Recap:

"Who are you?" Shizuo asked, trying to control the rising heat produced by an inexplicable rage.

The man didn't turn, but said loud enough for Shizuo to hear, "I am Orihara-san's friend."

Shizuo wasn't convinced.

The man stopped and turned lightly, half of his face darkened by the position of the light. "But who are you to Orihara-san?" With a cold smirk he asked, "Are you anything at all?"

•Gentleman (?)•

Izaya felt heavy and light at the same time. His body ached. His legs were tangled in his bedclothes, and pillows were spread all over the bed's surface. Something fluffy moved over his head. It rubbed against him again and again. Izaya groaned, lightly pushing the thing off. After a couple of minutes, the thing rubbed against him again. Izaya curled, trying to escape from it. Afterwards, a hand was pushed onto his forehead. Izaya flinched lightly from the unexpected touch.

The thing kept rubbing against him, purring.

Macha was demanding attention.

"How do you feel?" a voice asked him softly.

Izaya fought to open his eyes. He half-looked at Tsugaru. That blank stare said how _miserable_, how _awfully annoyed_ he felt.

The man chuckled. "How troublesome you are, really."

Tsugaru moved, turning the lights on.

"Here is some water. I think you should go to that doctor friend of yours. Your cold seems to be worsening. _Or_ would you prefer if I called a doctor to come over?" Tsugaru said as he poured water into a glass.

Izaya half stared at him from his current position. His bed was too comfortable to move from. Macha jumped on top of Izaya's stomach, and as a reflex, Izaya grabbed her and she took advantage of it. She purred contently and used her claws on Izaya's shirt. Oh purrfeect~

"She's spoiled," Tsugaru pointed out while he sat on the edge of the bed.

Izaya didn't answer, he just kept holding her.

Tsugaru hovered over Izaya. "Hey, cat got your tongue? Say something."

Izaya barely glanced at him.

"I am going to get angry," Tsugaru smiled.

Izaya gave him a "_like I care"_ look.

Tsugaru smile widened, and he crawled on top of Izaya. In a quick movement, Tsugaru caught Izaya's arms, pinning them above his head. "You can't be obedient, can you?"

Izaya didn't resist at all, and didn't utter a word; he gave Tsugaru a blank stare. However, he was sweating a lot and his vision was blurry. Defenseless. Tsugaru pressed himself more on Izaya, until a "MEOW!" sounded from below him. He shifted back and Macha scrambled away from them.

Tsugaru said "Sorry" and Izaya coughed.

Since his arms were restrained, he had to look away. Izaya was a well-mannered man who would never spit into someone's face. Not without a purpose, that is. Soon after, his arms were released and a handkerchief was handed over by Tsugaru.

Tsugaru sighed. "I can't properly _play_ with you like this. This is unfortunate, very much so." He jumped off.

Izaya watched as Tsugaru disappeared from his room. He sighed.

'Thanks for the cold comfort…' Izaya thought grimly.

Macha jumped on Izaya's bed again, rubbing against him.

'I don't want to move…Maybe I should call Shinra to come over…' With an enormous effort, Izaya managed to stand up. His cell phone was on the nightstand beside the bed.

_It looked so far away…_

Izaya walked with heavy steps, reaching his device, and soon after he collapsed on the bed.

He dialed the number, then waited and waited.

[Hello?]

Izaya opened his mouth to speak, but no sound was emitted.

[Izaya? Are you there?]

Izaya tried again, but something happened to his voice each time he wanted to speak. He ended the call and decided to text.

[Shinra! I can't speak! D:]

Izaya sent the text and waited for the reply.

[Izaya…? Is it really you? What happened?]

Izaya texted back: [Of course it's me! I'm sick! I caught a cold! :'( Help me!]

Shinra took his time to answer. [Izaya, I'm sorry but I can't go over there right now. I'm going to do a medical procedure in a few minutes. You can wait for me, but I don't know how much time this is going to take. Look, for now, you have to drink liquids; stay hydrated. From the looks of it, your cold had infected your larynx, so when I have the time, I'll pass by and give you antibiotics. Or, you can go to a normal doctor~ :) It's up to you. See you~]

[Traitor! What if I die? !]

Izaya didn't receive a reply. He groaned.

He felt exhausted, so it was unlikely that he could take a train or a cab to go to Shinra's, without mentioning that Shinra wasn't there… But to go to the hospital… ugh…

'There's no other way.' Izaya was resigned to his fate.

He rose from the bed, just to stop when two shadows loomed in the room.

"Orihara-san, I brought assistance." Tsugaru smiled… or was he snickering?

Izaya turned paler and paler.

Macha watched the scene from atop a shelf; she was amused.

•••••

Shizuo stuffed food in his mouth, chewing it angrily.

_"I am Orihara-san's friend."_

'Friend my ass… _Friend_ he said… yeah right,' Shizuo thought, and kept on munching. 'Arrogant bastard…'

Shizuo was in a rather heavy mood. The encounter with Izaya's 'friend' had been quite disturbing. To think that Izaya had a friend…Shizuo was in denial, he just simply couldn't think that a bastard like Izaya would have someone to take care of him. Though Shizuo had to admit that the way that man acted with Izaya wasn't normal. Not that he would ever think that one of Izaya's supposed 'friends' would behave normally. For instance: Shinra.

Anyhow, why did he care about that man's words?

Shizuo had never attempted to analyze their relationship, if it could be considered a relationship…

Hate.

That was all. Hatred and ire.

It was the only thing they had.

_"But who are you to Orihara-san?"_

'An enemy,' Shizuo thought, gritting his teeth. He was annoyed, angered, pissed.

Somehow, that man's words were irritating him.

_"Are you anything at all?"_

Crack. That was the sound of the cup when it died.

"Ahh dammiiit…" Shizuo looked at his palm in dread, the vestige of the cup smeared on his palm.

Simon went over the counter and handed him a full-deluxe plate of caviar… Very expensive caviar…

"Enjoy!" Simon said.

"…" Shizuo began to eat quietly.

The Russian Sushi was a very _interesting_ place. Many _unique_ characters went to eat there. Underground doctors, gangs' members, monsters, assassins, fighting freaks, psychos, etc...

The place was frequented by normal people too, but on this day in particular, it was maintained half empty. Because of Shizuo's dark aura.

But the newcomers didn't know that.

The door opened and a very complex and difficult conversation enchanted the place.

"The chapter was disappointing. I can't stand the way this manga has turned. The story has degenerated into fanservice. Not that I don't like to read something like that from time to time, but seriously, making it kind of BL, just because _all_ the characters are bishies…"

"What is wrong with that? Hm? I think the author has made a great job shipping them~! Ahhh~ Bliss~! 1827! 2700! 8059! R27!"

"No! It's Blasphemy! The story is shonen! There must be only friendship and hot chicks! The moe-moe rule! I shall only accept clear displays of yuri! Nothing more!"

"Aww! Stop that! Why can't you accept that everyone in the world can be paired? Look, for example Thouro x Natsuo, they're meant to be together!"

"Argh! They are only best friends! _Friends_! And it doesn't count, since Thouro has already declared his love for nurse-chan! So, how can you explain their 'love' then, I dare you!"

"Because of Thouro's transformation to Shiki! His feelings were crumbled to ashes. Sad, but that's the explanation~"

"Nonsense."

"Is not. Shounen, shoujo and seinen have their doses of BL. Beel's series are other examples."

"Karisawa-san-what? Who with whom? No wait, I take it back!"

"There are plenty of pairings! Ogai x Furuchi, Tojou x Oga, Tatsumi x Miki. The latter is canon!"

"How can you say it's canon?"

"Miki showed his love under arduous training just to be by Tatsumi's side!"

"He was just training to become strong!"

"Oh, also there is Furuchi x Bathin…"

"That's sick!"

_-And gross_…

"How can you call pure love sick?"

"That's not love! Real love is something more moe! Only pairings like Ryuuji x Taiga! That little lady is so moe~ Oh! There's also the physiological Megu x Maria pair! The angsty relationship between Hei x Yin~"

"Indeed, they are good together."

"Oh! Murasame x Kazama~ Moe~Moe"

"So two girls can be in love and that's called true love... But two guys can't. That's what you are saying, right? Shame on you, Yumakicchi, shame on you."

"What? I didn't-"

"Cut it out, you two! Take a seat at once!"

"Okay, Dotachin~"

"Sorry, Kadota."

Kadota scolded them for their public display of… creepiness. Kadota noticed a grumpy blond sitting in the corner of the restaurant.

Kadota went to greet him.

"Yo, Shizuo."

Shizuo glanced at him and nodded.

Kadota noticed his troubled face and decided to not pry. However, Shizuo had other plans.

"Do you think that you could call someone a 'friend' when he pins you against a wall and looks at you menacingly?"

-Ah?

"…No… I don't think so…"

"Hm, that's what I thought."

"…So, how are you doing?" Kadota sat next to Shizuo, trying to make conversation.

"I mean, it's impossible for him to have a normal friend. Yeah, that bastard probably just wanted to piss me off, so he said that to me."

"…Erm… What are you talking about?" Kadota asked, sweat dropping in a comical way.

"An arrogant bastard I met yesterday said that he was friends with Izaya. That's a lie, don't you think?"

'I do not know what you are saying, really…' Kadota wanted to say.

•••••

Shizuo hummed. He felt much lighter after his talk with Kadota.

With lights steps, Shizuo walked to his apartment. He knew a shortcut in an alley to his right. Only dim neon light cleared the way in the narrow passage.

"Achoo!" And then a sniff.

Shizuo halted and turned to his right. There was the wall. A bit downward, there was someone sitting on the ground. Shizuo focused his sight to see better.

"Achis!" A sniff and a groan.

"The hell?" Shizuo crouched down. He reached for the hood of the person in front of him, and uncovered him. "Flea?"

"Hi… A-Achoo!"

Shizuo backed away a little, still crouched. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Sniff… I ran away."

"Ah?"

"Sniff-sniff. Dr. Frankenstein… is in my house…" Izaya's voice sounded dry and he looked pale.

So he was still sick.

"I really don't get what you're saying." Shizuo scanned his face: red (more), puffy eyes and a runny nose.

"…A doc is… in my house… He's crazy… I'll… probably die… if I stay… there…" His breathing was heavy too.

"And you think that it's better to be outside in the cold…?"

"I don't want… to drink weird… stuffs… dead fish eyes… ugh." Izaya visibly shuddered and sneezed again.

'Weird stuffs? Medicine… maybe?' Shizuo thought.

A ring sounded and Izaya answered his cell phone.

"…Drop… dead…" Izaya said, after sniffing.

Shizuo raised an eyebrow.

"Don't care…"

Shizuo watched as Izaya tried to insult the person on the other line.

"Thanks…but no thanks…" Izaya ended the call, dropping his head against the wall behind him.

"Is it that _friend_ of yours? That arrogant bastard from yesterday?" Shizuo asked. It was a gut feeling; that's why he asked.

"You… sniff… misunderstood… He and I aren't… friends… sniff… and yeah… he is an arrogant… bastard…"

Shizuo's inner-self grinned in victory and said "Aha!". However, his normal frown was in place.

"So… what are you two, then?" Ahem, it was just curiosity.

"Sniff… dunno…" Izaya blew his nose with Tsugaru's handkerchief.

"…"

"Sniff."

"…What are you doing here, again?"

"Going to Shinra's," Izaya said simply.

'Yeah, you are going there by sitting, right?' Shizuo thought, and said, "Two blocks from here."

"Yup."

"What are you doing sitting there, then?"

"Recharging…A-Achoo!"Izaya sneezed, cursing his allergies.

Shizuo growled lowly and turned around, receding to Izaya's position. He put his arms behind him, finding Izaya's torso in the process. Shizuo pulled Izaya by his clothes, gripping them.

"Wha-choo! Sniff… What're you doing?" Izaya said, when his body was yanked forward. His forearms were resting on Shizuo's back.

"I'm not low enough, like you, to leave a person here to die," Shizuo answered, ushering the smaller to climb onto his back.

Izaya moved lightly. "I thought… sniff… that you wanted me… dead."

-That's right.

"Yeah, but I want to kill you myself. A cold can't win."

-That's right.

"…Sniff… whatever. I… accept the offer…."

Shizuo was standing and Izaya's tights were on his hands.

Literally.

The ride-erm, the walk was quiet until a question popped up.

"How much do you weigh?" Shizuo asked, lightly tilting his head towards Izaya to hear.

"That's none… of your concern…" Izaya mumbled, he was tired.

"Oh?" Shizuo grinned. "Are you a girl or what?"

'I knew this wasn't going to be free…' Izaya thought and sighed. He didn't want to deal with this right now. "Fine… 58 kg…"

Shizuo frowned; he was expecting a bit more of fighting.

"I never thought you'd say yes so quickly," Shizuo said as he adjusted Izaya on his back.

"...That-," Izaya sighed, nuzzling lightly against Shizuo. "would've been… the same if… I refused… in a way or another… I'd be dying…"

'_At least I'm comfortable like this…' _

"Hey, it's just a cold," Shizuo said, frowning.

'You are contradicting what you said before,' Izaya thought, but said instead "…Yeah…"

Shizuo felt little by little as the weight on his back lessened, as Izaya fell asleep.

It was weird.

Right now…

The silence was disappointing.

•••••

"I never thought that this day would actually come. Celty, honey! Please call the funeral home!" Shinra yelled to his love, and Celty rushed to the front door.

[Huh? What happened?] She typed.

"Idiot, he's not dead, he's just asleep," Shizuo said through clenched teeth. Argh, if only his hands were free, he would do something very bad!

[Shizuo…Is that Izaya?] _In a piggyback_?

"Yeah, I found him and he's sick. I think he was hallucinating."

"Oh."

[Oh.]

"Okay, let me make a quick check."

Shinra checked Izaya's temperature, who frowned, turning away from the intruder's touch. He was okay with just Shizuo's warmth. Izaya nuzzled him a bit.

"Oi, wouldn't it be better if you checked him over there?" Shizuo gestured to the couch.

"It isn't necessary. Answer me, does he have a throaty voice?"

"Yeah."

"Puffy eyes?"

"Yeah."

"Runny nose?"

"Yeah."

"Allergies?"

"Yeah."

"Tiredness?"

"Yeah, could you cut it out already?" Shizuo said when he decided that it was stupid to be holding Izaya in the corridor and entered the apartment.

While Shizuo walked over to the living room, Celty typed on her PDA. [I have a job to do. Will you be alright?]

"Yes, don't worry, my love~ Okay, give me a goodbye kiss!" Shinra sang.

Celty smacked the front of her helmet on Shinra's face.

When Shinra entered the living room, he saw how Izaya was sleeping on his couch and how Shizuo was sitting next to him, watching TV.

'Hmmm, am I in another dimension…? ...Um... Nah, it can't be,' Shinra thought as he walked in front of Shizuo.

"Don't worry, it's just a normal cold. And it seems that he took something before, that's why he doesn't look so bad. Though, I'm guessing that he was a lot worse in the morning," Shinra pondered.

"First, I'm not worried about him. Second, when he gets better, I'm going to kill him, and third, step aside. Your flesh isn't transparent." Shizuo gestured at Shinra to move out of the way of the TV.

"Yes, yes," Shinra said as he stepped aside. A moment later, his cell phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mr. Shiki. Oh, I see, I see. Well, I'll be there in a minute." Shinra hung up. "My duty is calling me. I'll be back shortly… Mm, you can stay if you want, but just don't make a war in here, okay?"

Shizuo spoke without tearing his eyes from the screen, "I'm not promising anything."

Shinra sighed, taking hold of a bag. "I mean it, Shizuo. Well, see you later."

The room suddenly felt odd.

Shizuo glanced at his side, where Izaya was sleeping. It would be so easy to break his neck in two. Ahh, the temptation... Izaya was fast asleep, quiet, calm… kind of adorable. Not that Shizuo would ever admit it. He turned the TV off.

Shizuo looked up to the ceiling, stretching a little. 'When the flea gets better, I'm going to kill him... Yeah…'

Something soft grazed Shizuo's hand. He looked down and saw Izaya's hair, strands of shiny black hair on the back of his hand. Shizuo moved his hand, fingers touching the light hair. Silky. Shizuo yawned, laying back further into the couch.

Soft breathing was the only sound in the quiet room.

Shizuo didn't mean to fall asleep. But he felt some sort of peace.

Also, he didn't mean to comfort Izaya by allowing him to rest against him, nor did he know that he would find comfort holding him.

It happened because…

…it felt good.

•••••

_Love is often gentle, desire always a rage. -Mignon McLaughlin_

•To Be Continued•


	5. Chapter 5

Recap:

Soft breathing was the only sound in the quiet room.

Shizuo didn't mean to fall asleep. But he felt some sort of peace.

Also, he didn't mean to comfort Izaya allowing him to rest against him, nor did he know that he would find comfort holding him.

-It happened because…-

…-it felt good.

•••••

_Love is often gentle, desire always a rage. ~Mignon McLaughlin_

• L. B. P. •

The rain fell down the sky. Water dripping from the roof forming modern waterfalls, the concrete its foundation, drains its rivers.

The cold outside and the warm inside.

The day felt heavy.

-Shizuo frowned; he felt heavy… or rather something…

Shizuo wrinkled his brow… something fairly heavy was on top of him. Well, more exactly on his left side, over his leg, stomach and a part of chest. His left arm felt a bit numb too. He moved a little and his right leg fell from the couch, as result his senses shot open. It was that sensation when you feel that you are higher than you really are. Calming a bit Shizuo rubbed his eyes and focused in the _thing_ at his side.

_-Shizuo stood abruptly shoving Izaya the farthest away possible from him, Izaya crossed the building and the concrete in a blink of eyes.-_

That would have been the result of what would have happened if Shizuo hadn't noticed Izaya's hand. On the middle of Shizuo's chest, Izaya's left hand was placed, that wasn't anything out of the ordinary due the circumstances. However, what was wrapped around Izaya's hand it was. A padded splint. How didn't he notice it before? Well, Izaya was using his jacket so it covered most of the splint material and was dark last night too. Only his fingers peeped through the fabric, without really thinking about it Shizuo grabbed Izaya's hand inspecting it.

This type of splint was removable, so the injury in his bone wasn't serious, Shizuo thought. It was just used for precaution. Shizuo held Izaya's splinted hand with just his fingers, though the arm was a dead weight it was easy for him to hold.

Shizuo trailed his eyes to Izaya's face, asking himself meanwhile about where Izaya had injured his hand, but to Shizuo's surprise he couldn't find Izaya's face.

-Why?

Because Izaya's face was hidden on Shizuo's side. Shizuo let go of Izaya's hand dropping it on top of his chest again. Slowly, Izaya's fingers gripped Shizuo's shirt. Shizuo gazed Izaya's face, but he was still hiding it. Shizuo moved away from him lightly, trying to look at his face. But when Shizuo moved, Izaya frowned. He moved with Shizuo pressing his face on him.

-Was Izaya really asleep?

Shizuo moved further away and Izaya complained with a groan.

-He seemed to be asleep.

Izaya grasped several times Shizuo's shirt with his fingers, since the splint refrained him from using his full hand, and pulled Shizuo to him nuzzling on the process.

_-Shizuo jumped off, grabbing the couch where they were sleeping; with all his might he threw the couch through the crystal window. The non-UFO (it seemed an UFO though) flew through the rainy sky losing into the firmament.-_

That was the next thing Shizuo was planning to do, well, attempted to do. Unfortunately, when he was trying to jump he slipped on the carpet, in consequence his butt met the floor.

Izaya let go of Shizuo's shirt during the process. Not finding anymore the warm comfortable _thing,_ Izaya turned his body to the back of the couch.

Shizuo was sprawled on the floor.

'Mm… Okay. What the hell was that?' Shizuo asked inwardly still laying on the floor, a faint blush still tainting his cheeks.

•••••

"Orihara-san was really perturbed when he left yesterday…" Tsugaru snickered "He looked endearing, don't you think?"

"Meow…" Macha answered and Tsugaru patted her head.

Both, Tsugaru and Macha where in Izaya's apartment. Tsugaru was sitting on Izaya's chair, contemplating the rain fall and the faint mist paint the air.

"I wonder if he's okay… It would be troublesome if he gets sicker… It's no fun when he doesn't answer back, am I right?" Tsugaru asked Macha again and she purred in response.

Tsugaru mused over an issue he'd been bothered with, finding a pert solution.

"Hey kitty would you like to get a job?" he smiled at her.

Macha gazed at him curiously.

"You are probably going to get fun, how sounds to become a spy?"

She stared at him solemnly.

"Mmm… I shall pay you with tuna..."

Macha jumped off of his lap heading to the front door. She sat and waited.

Tsugaru chuckled "You certainly are rarer than I thought" Tsugaru stood from the chair "Well, as long as it doesn't affect me I am fine with your presence here."

"Meow~"

•••••

5:32 a.m.

He was not staring.

5:38 a.m.

He was definitively not staring.

5:45 a.m.

Shizuo was absolutely positive that he wasn't staring at Izaya.

5:59 a.m.

Yes, he was not staring!

Because!

6:00 a.m.

Shizuo was glaring!

…

Anyhow, Shizuo's previous question wasn't answered no matter how hard he had tried to explain it with ordinary methods.

The only reasonable answer was that Izaya was an alien from another galaxy and that in reality this Izaya wasn't Izaya. Or perhaps this was the real Izaya but controlled by aliens that were in the stratosphere. Or! That Izaya was all this time an alien and that he had fooled everyone! That could explain the color of his eyes too!

Shizuo had noticed plenty of times they color, yes he had.

Sometimes they looked like brown but other times had a reddish color and there were other times when they looked just plain red.

So, the "alien" answer was the most feasible conclusion for Shizuo.

Sadly, it wasn't correct.

Orihara Izaya was one hundred percent human, might not a sane one but a human nonetheless.

The things Izaya did before, like nuzzle and grip Shizuo's shirt, may have been done for many factors, as for example: Shizuo wrapping his left arm around Izaya's shoulders, therefore, the position of their bodies were obliged to stay that way, adding to the fact that they were sleeping on the same couch; without mention that they were two full grown up men.

It was inevitable the touch between each other.

Yet, Shizuo was in some kind of state of "standby", just to say a suitable word for his state.

Perhaps, the word "catatonic" would be suitable as well.

His soul was leaking out from his body.

Then something grumbled loudly. Shizuo looked down and his tummy protested again. Ah, right he hadn't eaten anything. He stood from the loveseat beside the couch, and stood that way for a long time.

What was he going to do now?

He'd said that he would kill Izaya when he gets better but Izaya still wasn't fine and Shinra hadn't come home yet… Shizuo couldn't leave, could he?

Another grumble.

"I'm hungry…" he made a step and walked to the kitchen "Sorry Shinra, I gonna barge in your fridge…"

Shizuo placed the ingredients on the kitchen counter and disposed to prepare something quick. Shizuo washed, chopped and cooked the ingredients diligently; he knew what he was doing. After all he had lived who knows how long alone…

The rain hadn't stopped.

Shizuo finished cooking and served food in one plate. Shizuo stabbed a piece of food chewing it, when he felt a stare. The only person besides him was…

Shizuo looked ahead and saw Izaya with half-lidded eyes peeking from the couch, his splinted hand resting on top of the board of the couch. Izaya yawned.

"'Mornin'" Izaya greeted/mumbled to Shizuo.

_Throb._

Something inside him felt warm… painful… but before his face could show what he was feeling Shizuo scowled trying to call the usual ire he felt every day.

-Howbeit, the attacks weren't done just yet.

Shizuo stared at Izaya's face; he should have torn his eyes away because what he saw afterward caused an explosion of red on his face.

Izaya with half-lidded eyes leaned to the left in slow motion. His eyelids fell as his face made contact with the fabric of the couch; Izaya was sliiiiiding until his head disappeared from view…

Suddenly!

"I'mma wake - I'm awake!" Izaya mumbled kneeling on the couch; he took a deep breath rubbing his face tiredly with one hand, he yawned while fighting to take his jacket off and Shizuo ran to the bathroom.

Izaya barely looked as a blur passed, he was finally free of his jacket.

Izaya fell head-on to the couch afterward.

Meanwhile Shizuo was looking at his reflection on the mirror in some sort of dread.

A complete red face, "what's wrong with me?"

•••••

Shizuo had washed his face like five times. Now, that he'd cooled down he went to finish his food.

As soon as he set a foot on the kitchen's area his blood ran cold.

Because it was not funny to see a sleepwalker holding a knife.

Though, Izaya wasn't a sleepwalker… but sure, he was holding a big sharp-looking knife and he was half asleep… as yet.

In four strides Shizuo got into the kitchen and snatched the knife away. The only sound emitted from Izaya was "hah?" when he looked at his hand.

Shizuo yanked Izaya by the collar, after he made him sit on the opposite side on the counter of the kitchen.

"What the hell were you doing?" Shizuo growled.

"…Cookin'…" Izaya answered yawning again.

"Why?" Shizuo asked irritated, he wanted to _ask "why are you holding a knife when you are fucking asleep idiot? !" _But Shizuo couldn't bring himself to ask just that.

"Hungry. Lemme do it" Izaya mumbled as a terribly sensation of heaviness struck him and yawned as loud and long as possible.

Shizuo scowled, he gritted his teeth "Forget it. Here take this." Shizuo didn't actually throw the plate, but he did pass it roughly.

Shizuo shared his food.

Izaya didn't mind. Weird. And he began to eat.

Shizuo glared at Izaya but Izaya was too occupied with the food to take notice of the deadly glares that were sent to him.

The food was delicious.

Shizuo clicked his tongue and began to make other portion of food.

It was oddly calm. Izaya was eating and Shizuo was cooking. How weird, though the end of the world hasn't come yet…

Shizuo finished and served the food. He glanced at Izaya who had devoured the plate in a few minutes. Shizuo snorted and went to eat his meal setting his plate on the counter; Shizuo was standing in front of Izaya.

-Why was he there? Not even Shizuo knew.

Shizuo chewed two pieces of food when then again… _the stare_.

"What?" Shizuo asked snapping his head to Izaya's face; Izaya was with those half-lidded eyes.

_Is._

Izaya said "mm, nothing…"

_Isn't_.

"Liar"

_Isn't cute._

"Um… well… yes…"

_Is not cute._

"What?"

_Izaya is not cute._

"You're a good cook"

…_hell_

•••••

"We finally made it!" Shinra shouted "Home sweet home!"

[Don't yell! It is too early!] Celty typed.

"Sorry, but you have to understand me, we finally made it to the normality our nest of love! Where there isn't blood or scalpels or guns! Don't you agree?"

[You are right. I want to take a shower so badly]

"Hehe" Shinra opened the door and a conversation flowed in.

"_Stay in your side_" Shizuo's voice said harshly, tough it sounded like that; it didn't actually feel threatening at all.

"…But…I want that piece…" Izaya's voice said sluggishly.

Shinra and Celty tilted their heads, well head and helmet…

-What were they doing?

"…Which-" Shizuo's voice sounded restrained "Which one?"

"That one"

Shinra and Celty heard the clattering of utensils, like forks.

"…Here…"

"Thanks"

Chewing noises.

"How can you eat so much?" Shizuo asked. Probably frowning, Shinra guessed.

"…'Cause I can…" Izaya answered and Shinra frowned at the tone of his voice and at the mannerism too, perhaps he was still a bit sick and if he recalled correctly Izaya had low blood pressure.

"Where does that food go…?"

"To my brain"

"Arrogant…"

"…More"

"What?"

"I want more food."

"Hell no, you even ate half of _my_ food!"

"…"

"…I said no..."

"Please?"

…

There was more clattering noises and the stove was on (probably). Someone was laughing lightly Izaya (probably).

…

"Why do I feel obliged to pretend like I haven't opened that door and passed through it?" Shinra said quietly withdrawing to the door.

[I don't know but I feel the same way] Celty was doing the same.

•••••

Shizuo stared shocked.

_Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew. Chew._

"…this has to be immoral or something…" Shizuo said still watching Izaya eat eagerly his food.

"Hm?" Izaya stopped eating "Why?" Izaya seemed that had finally awoken.

"You ate three plates of food."

"Two and a half" Izaya corrected finishing his plate.

"You eat like this every day?"

"Mm, it depends but yeah, pretty much." Izaya mused.

"Bottomless pit" Shizuo snickered.

"…" Izaya didn't find it funny.

Shizuo spoke good-humored "Anyway, pass me the plate"

Izaya answered "It's okay, I'll wash it"

"You can't" Shizuo said pointing to his splinted hand and snatched Izaya's empty plate. Shizuo rinsed the plates; he glanced to his side and saw Izaya staring with a frown at his own hand.

"…Where did you do that?" Shizuo was referring to his injury.

"Ah, well. I was _practicing_ and it went wrong." Izaya answered honestly.

-Practicing?

Before Shizuo could ask about it a ring sounded.

Izaya stood walking to the couch; he picked his jacket, finding his cell phone in its pocket.

Izaya looked at the ID and scowled immediately.

"What?" was Izaya's greeting.

"Yes, I'm still mad." Izaya hissed darkly.

Izaya paced back and forth while speaking; meanwhile Shizuo finished doing the dishes.

"…I don't care. Please drop it… I am not going to be thankful for that."

-Huh?

"That wasn't a doctor, it was a psycho. You made me drink those disgusting things!"

-Le what?

"That isn't the point. I could have gone to a normal doctor on my own and what you do? You brought that Shaman! … What? He isn't hearing me, and I think he knows perfectly how and what is his profession."

-Exorcism?

"…Are you trying to bribe me? Why this doesn't surprise me? I will politely decline your offer. She isn't wearing a collar because I haven't found the right one for her… _What are you doing to her?_" the last part was practically growled.

Shizuo didn't know if he should be amused or wary.

"Where are you? … I'll be there in twenty minutes… Don't you dare to do that! Her fur is perfectly fine! Do something and I'll erase your scores of Devil May Cry, Halo and God of war!"

-A threat?

Izaya smirked.

"Then, I'll be there in a bit~" Izaya hung up, feeling content.

-That was low…

Shizuo felt kind of confused.

Izaya put his jacket on. He glanced at Shizuo who was behind the counter, Izaya walked over there. Shizuo stared as the smaller man standing in front of him.

Straightening a bit Izaya spoke to Shizuo "Ahem, well. I have to offer you my thanks for the food. So… _thanks_…"

…

Shizuo stared at him with an unreadable expression.

"Also, I would like to treat you to a meal or dinner… you know from before" Izaya hand his hands inside the pockets of his jacket.

"Ah?" Shizuo regained consciousness; he didn't know when he lost it though.

"Or would you prefer the money?" Izaya raised a brow.

"No!" Shizuo scowled "I don't want your money!"

"A dinner shall be~," Izaya made a sly smile, "Are you free tomorrow right?"

"Ah? Yes? But-," Shizuo kept frowning.

"We'll meet at six in front of Russian Sushi. Deal? Great! I'll take my leave then~" Izaya spoke hastily, without listening to Shizuo's answer, and walked to the main door, his hand was on the doorknob. But he stopped since Shizuo called him.

Izaya couldn't distinguish the noise outside.

"Where are you going?"

Izaya opened the door lightly answering "Out, to rescue my pet."

"You can't, is raining outside…" Shizuo said. What was he doing? Why was he stopping him?

_Why?_

"I'll take a cab," Izaya grinned and said, "Don't worry," sticking his tongue out.

Izaya stepped outside waving his splinted hand, "See you later Shizzy~cooky~chan~" and he closed the door.

_Shizzy-cooky-chan – Shizzy-cooky-chan_ (Bis)

…

"…What did you call me? !"

•••••

Shizuo left the building grumbling under his breath, he stomped all the way until he reached the elevator. He waited and entered, still grumbling.

The corridor quieted down.

Slowly, so very slowly the rain stopped. The shadowed sky brightened with the morning sun.

Light wandered through the place.

However, in the left corner a dark shadow loomed.

A black cocoon was glued to the wall.

Inside the cocoon voices were heard.

"Why did we have to hide? … Ahh, yes… That dammed sense of moral…"

Celty retired her shadow and Shinra fell to the floor. Hard.

Is rough and painful to be a good friend…

•To Be Continued•

**A/N:** Muhahaha! The plot is finally evolving! I'm gonna get into level five! (lol) -inner joke- I want to yell "yeaaaaahhhhh!" :O Shizuo and Izaya's relationship is growing… for good C: … I guess (lol)

=o Tsugaru and Macha are plotting together! If you took notice there's something very intriguing in their "Conversation" isn't it? C:

Shizuo is so kind and indulgent (lol)

(L.B.P.- lol) To have low blood pressure means to be bad at getting up in the morning.

Okay, now, I am going to say THANK YOU! Thank you very much reviewers! For you, I work hard! ;)

Please, leave a comment today too~ (´^ω^｀)


	6. Chapter 6

Thank you very much my dear readers!

•Uncertainty•

The day had finally cleared; just a few clouds wandered on the sky. The main streets were crowded. The avenues were infested with cars and pedestrians. Even the alleys usually deserted were occupied. Action, movement, velocity.

No peace.

Shizuo had arrived at his apartment. He entered his domain walking straight to his shower. He had an hour to get ready for his job. He undressed pulling away all his clothes. Shizuo stepped in, closing the curtain of his shower; the pouring water washed his hair and skin.

Ten minutes later Shizuo finished.

Shizuo dried his hair with a towel and walked to his room.

Shizuo's apartment was simple, one living room, one small laundry area, a kitchen area and one room with a bathroom. The furniture was just the indispensable. Though, Shizuo did use his savings and bought a huge plasma TV.

The professional wrestling was important after all.

Shizuo was adjusting his necktie when his cell phone rang.

"Hello. Ah, Good morning Tom-san, yes I'm on my way."

Yea, this day was going to be an uneventful day.

Everything was going to follow its routine.

Because nothing had changed.

•••••

It happened as Shizuo had predicted. The course of the day went as it normally did. They recollected debts from idiots who couldn't administrate their money. Shizuo got angry more than once. Tom calmed Shizuo, and many people had fainted due physiological injuries… as well as physical injuries.

Many of Shizuo and Tom's clients had to go to therapy.

Yup, the day was normal, nothing had changed.

Yup, that was until the morning of the next day came.

•••••

-Shizuo had a date.

"Ah?"

-Shizuo had a date with Orihara Izaya.

"Huh? !"

-Shizuo had consented the previous morning to share a meal with Izaya.

"The hell? !"

-Shizuo hadn't realized until now.

"Idiot!" Shizuo scolded himself in front of the mirror of his bathroom.

Shizuo's free day was today. He was planning on how he was going to spend the rest of the day while brushing his teeth, and strangely his mind said in a moment:

'Mm… I can't go to Shinra's at six tonight… the flea is gonna wait for me at Simon's…'

And there, Shizuo's toothbrush suffered a whiplash.

Shizuo had totally forgotten about his 'appointment' the previous day, but strangely he remembered about it today. The day of his d-a-t-e with Izaya.

Shizuo's toothbrush had no longer use. "It's not a fucking date!" Shizuo's mind was tormenting him with many _disturbing_ thoughts, like-

"Why did he want to meet me?"

"What does he want from me?"

"Is a fucking scheme?"

"What I'm gonna wear tonight?"

-and so on.

Long loud curses escaped Shizuo's mouth. The peaceful morning had shattered. When his anxiousness had downed, considerably, Shizuo sat on his couch trying to figure out what was going on.

Yes, he had agreed to Izaya's request. Granted, he had been fooled.

What a surprise.

Anyway, what was he planning to do now that he holds the information?

Should he just ditch Izaya?

Shizuo's mind went blank.

He had so many reasons to not go, so many reasons to refuse, so many reasons to say no.

And.

And he didn't want to think about it.

"If he does something weird I gonna kill him" Shizuo had the rest of the day to prepare.

Not that he was waiting… or wanting… or anything…

•••••

The final of the afternoon was close.

"Orihara-san… Please, don't be angry," Tsugaru '_pleaded_' with a white grin, "You have been like this since yesterday…"

Izaya walked ahead, ignoring pointedly the latter.

"I apologize for not having talked with you about it before but she _wanted_ it," Tsugaru stated.

Izaya stopped his tracks abruptly and with the deadliest of glares spoke to Tsugaru, whose grin hadn't faltered in the slightest.

"How dared you to say that? _She is a cat_. She cannot speak, therefore it had no voice. You have no right to say what she wants!" Izaya stomped forward like a mad bull.

Tsugaru looked down, he was taller than Izaya, and smiled "I do think that I know what she wants, at least a little bit." Tsugaru reasoned smiling.

"From now on you will not mess with her fur again." Izaya said in dark tone, "It's an order."

Tsugaru smile widened, "Of course it is"

"…Bastard…" Izaya said "…You get on my nerves!"

"Oh? Really, I pleased to be of utility" Tsugaru smirked and Izaya cursed while walking ahead.

'Orihara-san is so entertaining,' Tsugaru thought. They walked for a couple of minutes when both of their cell phones rang.

For Izaya was a text message and for Tsugaru was a phone call.

They walked away from each other, wanting to have some privacy.

Izaya had finished first so he waited for Tsugaru.

"I see, I see. I'll be there in a couple of minutes. _He'd finally woken up_… I shall see that everything goes accord to the plan." Tsugaru said and hang up.

Tsugaru walked to where Izaya was standing.

"Something showed up. We have to part away, so sad is the goodbye. Poison for the heart indeed." Tsugaru said dramatically.

"…" Izaya stayed in silence.

Then Tsugaru beamed, "anyway, I shall see you later~" he wrapped his arms around Izaya squeezing him softly. Tsugaru gave Izaya a kiss on top of his head.

Tsugaru smiled and walked away.

Izaya spoke with a monotone voice, "why did you hug me?"

Tsugaru stopped and turned around lightly; he stood in front of Izaya and said with suave voice, "I wanted to".

Izaya didn't move. Tsugaru grabbed Izaya's upper arms leaning forward, Tsugaru kissed Izaya's cheek tenderly.

"I did that," Tsugaru trailed his lips to Izaya's ear, "because _I want to_"

Tsugaru nibbled Izaya's earlobe, Izaya attempted to move away but Tsugaru gripped his arms pulling him.

"Remember…" Tsugaru forced Izaya to stand still and kissed his neck nibbling lightly the skin "…Aut viam inveniam… aut faciam"

"Be good and have fun," Tsugaru said with a smile.

Tsugaru left Izaya resting against a wall.

The time passed and Izaya hadn't moved an inch.

_It felt painful._

_It ached._

_It…it…_

Izaya made a fist punching the wall behind him. He punched it so hard that it actually drips of blood poured from a small wound.

"…damn… that _again_…"

•••••

[Aut viam inveniam aut faciam]

{I shall either find or make a way}

•••••

…38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43… 59, 60.

Exactly six O'clock

Shizuo paced. What? It was a prank then? That bastard wasn't going to show up? !

Shizuo gritted his teeth and paced faster. He was in front of the Russian Sushi; he'd been waiting since fifteen minutes ago! Fifteen!

-But fifteen minutes before six… argh! Whatever!

Shizuo was muttering things to himself while pacing back and forth; he didn't look sane at all.

Someone stopped and stared at the impatient blond; he pulled out his cell phone from his pocket and began to take pictures. Normal passers-by hurried their steps trying to not get involved. A few minutes passed and the person was now making a video.

"…I wonder if I should upload this in youtube…" the raven man mused aloud while filming.

Shizuo froze mid-step and turned to see the person who was still filming him.

"Say 'hi~' to the camera Shizu-chan!" Izaya said, still filming.

"You stop that" Shizuo refrained from curse and complain for his tardiness, _five_ minutes late! Five!

"Aww, why? It's funny to see you act stupidly~" Izaya moved forward taking other angle of Shizuo's face.

"You wanna get that thing crushed?" Shizuo's eyebrow twitched, maniac grin already placed.

"Nope~!" Izaya was still filming.

"Bastard! Give me that!" Shizuo tried to snatch the cell phone away.

"Oops~ it's gone!" Izaya hid his cell phone in the pocket of his jeans-

-What? Wait. Shizuo stopped and looked at Izaya's appearance.

Hell.

He was wearing jeans! The skinny ones! A normal black shirt and a red hoodie! But without the fur! What? ! Were those Converse in his feet? !

"Although it's flatters me, I do not wish you to gawk at me like that Shizuo-chan" Izaya said, affronted.

Shizuo snapped out of his trance and scowled, he was not gawking!

"You probably are wondering why I'm wearing this outfit. Well, I had a small job to do before our appointment and I had to… ahem, change a little bit." Izaya explained while moving out of the middle of the sidewalk. Shizuo followed.

"You're too flashy" Shizuo said.

Izaya laughed lightly "I've been told that many times," he shrugged, "I can't change my looks."

"A pity," Shizuo said smirking and Izaya glared.

"The same to you," Izaya said while placing his hood on top of his head. Afterward, he gave Shizuo a small note.

Shizuo frowned and took the note.

There were written names of restaurants with directions.

"This?" Shizuo asked motioning the piece of paper.

"Those are my recommendations for dinner. You can choose one of them or pick another of your preference. I gave that to you because I'm sure you won't want any place I could choose. After all, you don't trust me, if I pick one you'll act all suspiciously and that would be annoying. So, I'm giving you the opportunity to pick the place by yourself." Izaya said hiding his hands inside the pockets of his hoodie.

"Mm" Shizuo agreed.

"So? Where?" Izaya asked while looking up to the sky, storming weather was making its presence.

"There," Shizuo pointed to the Russian Sushi.

"…" Izaya sighed "I knew you would say that. And I knew you wouldn't think in the consequences. Of course you wouldn't think on how bad would be if the two of us were spotted together in a place where all of our acquaintances usually go. Well, if it's your wish to do so then there's no point in discuss it, since, I was the one suggesting you to take the initiative to choose the place. So let's go."

Izaya didn't make attempt to move whatsoever.

"So, you're saying that you don't wanna be seen with me?" Shizuo said looking through his sunglasses at the hooded raven.

"Of course no, I could care less. However, I think you wouldn't be so happy if that happened." Izaya grinned. Ha.

"…Tsk" Shizuo walked in the opposite direction, he hated when Izaya was right.

Izaya grinned to himself and followed after Shizuo. They walked quietly. Shizuo was looking at the paper where Izaya had written the places and Izaya meanwhile was texting on his cell phone.

Shizuo occasionally would peek behind to see if Izaya was still following.

Izaya was still there.

Shizuo frowned.

No, it didn't feel good to be leading. And it didn't feel good to have him following.

Of course it didn't feel good to have him obeying.

Why would it feel good in first place?

•••••

It was a normal restaurant. They sat in a table of the establishment and waited for a waitress, she took their orders soon after.

Silence.

Izaya was texting on his cell phone and Shizuo felt the urge of making a conversation. He wasn't usually the one to start a conversation and he definitively wasn't the first one to speak when they were together. Yes, every time they fought Izaya was the first one to talk.

Quickly say something! Ask something!

"Why did you invite me to this?"

-…It was a start… hopefully not the start of the end though…

Izaya glanced over his cell phone "A moment please…" he said softly.

Shizuo, for some reason, felt terribly awkward.

"This is a '_thanks meal'_. No big deal, is it?" Izaya said while turning his cell phone off. Izaya set the device aside fully concentrating on Shizuo.

Right there, Shizuo wished Izaya to keep texting. Shizuo shrugged at Izaya's question.

Izaya took his hoodie off. He placed the hoodie on the back of his chair. He crossed his arms and waited for a better response from Shizuo.

Shizuo took his time; he mimicked Izaya and leaned back on his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. He stared ahead while Izaya looked outside the glass of the window; he had given up with Shizuo. So fast...

The rain had begun to fall again.

That little fact passed unnoticed by Shizuo. Izaya's skin was far more interesting than water falling from the sky.

The black shirt that Izaya was wearing only accentuated his pale skin.

Shizuo was looking at Izaya's arms, and unconsciously nibbled his inner lip.

'…_Damn, I wanna bite him'_

Afterward, there was a long pause in Shizuo's mind.

Shizuo stood from his chair, "excuse me," he said and walked to the restroom.

Izaya looked at him puzzled.

The waitress came a bit after and then a roar echoed in the establishment. Everyone jumped at the shouting voice.

The poor waitress looked startled. A refreshing voice asked her, "Miss, can I have a word with the manager?"

Izaya smiled and his inner-self scowled.

•••••

Shizuo looked at his reflection in the mirror.

His face was so red.

'Why? ! Why did I think in that? !' Shizuo splashed water several times on his face.

'Seriously, what the hell is wrong with me?' Shizuo pressed his palms on his face for a few seconds.

'Maybe it was just temporally madness…'

-Ah?

'Yeah, that's explains everything'

-Um…

'Yes, that's it. Period.'

-…Sure…

Shizuo looked at the mirror, his face wasn't red anymore. He took a deep breath and walked out of the restroom.

The place looked the same; however, Izaya did seem upset. Their orders were already placed on the table. Shizuo sat on his chair.

Izaya glared at him, "Care to explain that little _shout_yours Shizu-chan?"

Shizuo tried to look aloof, "Cockroach" Shizuo replied.

"…" Izaya couldn't comprehend "…You say that you yelled because a cockroach…?"

"It was a big one. A monster. Probably a _mutant_. Don't worry. Now is dead." Shizuo said serious.

"…I see… No. No, I don't see it but I don't care. I'm hungry and it is your fault, I've been waiting you _for ten minutes_." Izaya hissed the last part.

Shizuo raised a brow, "You could've started without me, y'know?"

"…" Izaya stared at him blankly.

"Don't tell me that you didn't think in that?" Shizuo could only grin and laugh.

"Well, I am sorry for have manners on the table." Izaya said a bit formal, "So, if you excuse me I'm going to eat."

Shizuo laughed some more and began to eat as well, during the peaceful time Shizuo noticed something he hadn't before.

"What happened to your hand?" Shizuo frowned setting his fork down on his plate.

Izaya looked at his right hand with the band-aid "Ah. Nothing. A mistake, that's all," Izaya smiled lightly drinking his glass of ice-tea.

"…" Shizuo wasn't so sure about that, then he looked at Izaya's other hand "…for how long are you gonna use the cast?"

"One week… perhaps two weeks more," Izaya pondered while stabbing a piece of food and then chewing it slowly.

Shizuo sipped from his glass, "How did you do that anyway?"

Izaya swallowed a piece of food, "I was practicing a 'Passement' and it went wrong."

Shizuo looked confused.

"Parkour. I was practicing a _speed vault_. It consist on overcome an obstacle by jumping side-ways first, then placing one hand on the obstacle to self-right your body and continue running" Izaya said stabbing other piece of food, "It was so careless of me, really"

"Hm," Shizuo said, chewing his food.

"Yes. It's inconceivable, I can do a 'Saut de chat' and I couldn't do the 'Passment'…" Izaya said chewing angrily his food.

"…" Shizuo seemed lost at the phrase 'Saut de chat' so Izaya explained.

"The _saut de chat_ known as 'Cat pass' or 'Cat jump' or 'Kong vault' or 'Monkey vault' involves diving forward over an obstacle so that the body becomes horizontal, pushing off with the hands and tucking the legs, such that the body is brought back to a vertical position, ready to land."

"Ohh," Shizuo said.

"Yup," Izaya said.

Izaya glanced at Shizuo's food, "You don't want your salad…? How childish of you" Izaya smirked.

"Shut up," Shizuo frowned, and glared lightly at Izaya and glared _hatefully_ at his salad, "You want it…?" he asked.

Izaya's eyes sparkled for a second. Shizuo got surprised for a moment. And as fast as it came it went.

Ha.

"I don't like to waste food," Izaya said already using his fork to eat Shizuo's salad.

"I know…" Shizuo said snickering.

Izaya glared at Shizuo who thought that that glare looked like a _pout_, but the thought was quickly suppressed by Shizuo's self-defense system.

Their food quickly disappeared and the dessert came. Shizuo did look forward to that.

"…" Izaya looked as Shizuo devoured in less than two minutes his dessert…

"I'm full, you can have it," Izaya said suddenly pushing his dessert to Shizuo, Izaya stood and decided to pay directly to the cashier.

It was a lie.

Izaya could eat more than this, he had proved it before.

Shizuo ate slowly his gift-dessert, he felt kind of grateful for the gesture.

…Just a tiny little bit.

•••••

"…It's raining cats and dogs…" Izaya said looking at the heavy rain.

"Mm…" Shizou said.

Usually at this point Shizuo, as a courtesy, should say something like 'thanks for the dinner I enjoyed the time here' or something along those lines. But it was too compromising to say it. And Shizuo was sure Izaya wasn't expecting those words to come from him anyway.

Shizuo felt a contradictory feeling, because he was relieved that Izaya wasn't 'supposedly' expecting his thanks, and annoyed because of it too.

Weird.

They were waiting for the rain to lessen.

Izaya's eyes were lost into the depths of the dark sky. He rolled up the right sleeve of his hoodie; he stretched his arm out of the shelter provided by the building. Izaya held his palm letting the drop of water fall on his skin. He felt as each drop of cold water succumbed at the impact on his skin, it felt good.

"…Do you have plans after this…?" Shizuo asked absentmindedly.

Izaya pulled back his arm out of the rain; he shook it lightly and wiped it on his jeans. Now, the band-aid on his hand was wet.

"Nope," Izaya said peeling the band-aid from his skin. He inspected the small injury; the skin was pink with a reddish tone. Izaya frowned lightly but shrugged it off.

"Are you going directly to your house Shizu-chan?" Izaya asked rolling down his sleeve.

"Yeah…"

Well, it was still early so they could go to other place after, like the game center. But wait, why did Shizuo want to do more things? It wasn't as if he wanted to spend more time with the flea, was it?

'Whatever, I wanna do more things than just go home and watch TV.' Shizuo thought.

Now the problem was to ask Izaya…

But…

How the hell he was going to ask him?

That thought made Shizuo intensely uncomfortable. He scratched his head opening and closing his mouth many times. Fortunately, Izaya was too busy looking at the rain and the people with umbrellas pass by, to notice Shizuo's struggling.

Shizuo was about to say it when Izaya elbowed him on the chest pushing him inside the building again. Taken by surprise Shizuo stumbled backward. Shizuo was about to say 'what the fuck is wrong with you? !' when Izaya spoke.

"Hi Dotachin~!"

Shizuo froze and understood immediately, he tried to hide behind a pillar of the building. It was a poor attempt, but it was better than nothing.

"Izaya? What are you doing here?" Kadota Kyohei asked while walking in front of Izaya.

Izaya smiled, "I had an appointment."

"Oh, I see." Kadota said.

"Yup. And you? Finishing a job I suppose," Izaya said.

"Yeah, I was finishing… Hey why are you dressed like that?" Kadota frowned looking at Izaya up and down.

Izaya smirked, "Heh, like what you look~?"

Kadota blushed lightly, "That doesn't have relevance whatsoever."

"Oh my gosh! You didn't deny it!" Izaya said happily.

'_Where is this fucking conversation going?'_ Shizuo thought annoyingly.

"Why would I lie? You look, ahem… _good_ in those…" Kadota said looking away but glancing at Izaya's pants.

"Oh~? Dotachin is flirting with me~?" Izaya asked making a hop forward where Kadota was standing.

"No," Kadota said getting near Izaya, "You are making me flirt with you"

"What's the difference? Flirt is flirt." Izaya said smiling evilly.

Kadota stared and shook his head lightly, amused.

"So Dotachin is going home?" Izaya hopped forward one more time, and as expected the rain fell over his head.

"Hey, if you get wet, you'll get sick." Kadota scolded him and pushed Izaya's head with his hand.

Izaya was sheltered by the building again but Kadota's hand was still on his forehead.

Kadota brushed some bags from Izaya's forehead. A small scar was hidden underneath the shiny black locks. Kadota dabbed the skin with his thumb. Kadota sighed softly, he recalled-

"You worry too much Dotachin," Izaya said happily, too happily for Shizuo's liking. The blond was still hiding behind the pillar of the building; the passers-by looked at him from afar… _warily_.

Kadota withdrew his hand, "Ah, sorry".

"Silly Dotachin, it doesn't hurt anymore," Izaya stuck his tongue lightly, "You know?"

Kadota sighed and made a small smile in return. "Sorry, I just remembered how it happened… I'm sorry…"

"Why are you apologizing? It wasn't your fault. And besides the one who did it received his punishment~," Izaya smirked with cruelty.

While they were talking Shizuo thought about it, recalled-

A memory of his past.

A memory of their past.

A memory without confirmation about-

-about Kadota and Izaya's relationship…

About how they were together.

•To Be Continued•

A/N: I still think that I have rushed into the events. Maybe I'm going too fast… Maybe I'm rushing because I'm working on other projects as well and I want this to get to its climax… I have the end already written… yes, I do… and I do love it :')

_Finally!_ Yep, Izaya and Kadota have a past together! I was dying to post that part! So many things happened in this chapter D: Tsugaru! Kadota! Shizuo! Izaya! Should I stop writing long chapters? :/ Would you prefer short chapters?

Are you shocked? :D Comments please!

Btw, this is the favorite phrase of this chapter for me: '…_Damn, I wanna bite him' xDDD_


	7. Chapter 7

Thanks dear readers!

•Memories & Unexpected Revelations•

The rain lessened, and the traffic of the streets seemed to be rising up, slowly but continuously. The dark clouds of the storm smearing into the firmament, once again the neon lights of the city claimed the night time.

Everything was living again.

"…So, do you have plans for the rest of the night?" Kadota asked, holding his umbrella.

During the time of the storm Izaya and Kadota had been talking leisurely.

"Um…" Izaya thought about it for a moment, certainly his 'thanks meal' with Shizuo had ended. There was no reason for them to spend more time together, and clearly he couldn't ask Shizuo, _as if for wonders of destiny he wanted to do something more with him_, since Kadota was in front of him.

And, early that night they had stated that Shizuo wouldn't appreciate if they were seen together… that felt… what was that… it was…

_Annoying_

"Izaya…?" Kadota asked moving forward, looking at his face.

After a second Izaya regained the topic "No, I don't have any. Why do you ask?" Izaya masked a sweet smile.

"Well, I was wondering if you would like to see a movie." Kadota said, his tone frank, casual.

"Movie…?" Izaya asked tilting his head a little. 'It's been a while since I last saw one,' Izaya pondered.

"Yeah, there's one of your favorite movies in the theater tonight. One of those old movies, from the twenties I think." Kadota said smiling lightly, as if he had recalled something amusing.

That perked Izaya's interested; he began to question Kadota which movie it was.

In the meantime Shizuo was still hiding behind the pillar of the building, growing angrier with time.

Shizuo felt displeased for a few _little_ reasons. Like the fact that he was hiding. The fact that he was hiding from Kadota… ah! The fact that he was fucking hiding for no reason whatsoever from Kadota! But what more annoyed him was the fact that Kadota was interfering in his d-…d-date!

Shizuo finally accepted the circumstances, more or less, so he received the thought of being in a date with Izaya.

Though, Shizuo did know that the dinner had finished and he didn't have the chance to ask Izaya to go to other place with him…

'But! That was Kadota's fault!' Shizuo thought gravely.

And due the circumstances his annoying little thing (Izaya) would be snatched away for that casual good guy (Kadota)!

He has to do something.

But what he could do…?

_Nothing._

While he thought about the things he could do, though it weren't much, the conversation between Izaya and Kadota seemed to go smoothly. They knew each other from quite some time now.

Kadota was one of the few people that could talk with Izaya normally; he was one of the few that could bear his personality, and, one of the few that could get near to him into a different level.

More than Shizuo to this point.

"…So what do you say?" Kadota spoke good-naturally.

Izaya hung his head to the side "Even though I would love to see that movie, wouldn't be bad for Dotachin to be seen with me?" That sounded familiar.

"…" Kadota arched a brow, "I think that you were always the one that didn't want that. Even know... Oh, remember that time with Shizuo…?" Kadota chuckled lightly.

And now, Izaya seemed affronted "Ah, no. And I don't need to remember it."

"You were so pissed…" Kadota said finding funny Izaya's behavior.

"…Yeah, don't say more please," Izaya said in hushed tone.

"I think Shizuo got a trauma because of _that,_" Kadota said half serious half laughing.

And to a certain extend that supposed 'trauma' was true.

Shizuo didn't appreciate the memory very much.

In fact he hated it.

It was not good to remember it.

•••••

_Raijin High School days:_

The classrooms were silent. The scholar population had gone home.

However, in one particular classroom two students were occupied studying… their physiognomy.

Heated kisses were shared. Hands aimlessly roamed over clothes and skin. They moved, driven just by instinct, desks were pushed aside. One of them climbed on a desk, and waited for the other to come along. The other immediately moved and placed his body between the thighs of the other. A hand squeezed softly the muscle, rubbing it up and down while his other hand held the other's face. He leaned further attacking the lips again, a tongue passed soft lips.

The person beneath him moaned lightly and he pressed himself further. Their groins were pressing together, pleasure aroused into their beings.

He grabbed the back of the neck of the other, and this grasped his clothes.

Excitement.

What they were experiencing was amazing but-

The door behind his back opened briskly, and their blood ran cold.

_Crap_.

Something thudded as it fell to the floor "…Kadota…?"

Kadota turned his face slowly "…hi…Ahem, hello Shizuo. I thought that you'd already left…" the person in front of Kadota shrunk slowly wanting to disappear.

"Ah, I forgot something but never mind I-I should go… Erm, sorry and bye," Shizuo picked up his bag and ran from there, blushing madly in the process.

The classroom was quiet again.

Kadota sighed.

"…Do you think he saw me?" the person sitting on the desk asked peeking over Kadota's shoulder.

"…Maybe…" Kadota said thoughtfully.

"_Shit,_" the other said.

"Hey," Kadota said frowning in scolding manner.

"…" the other didn't answer.

"Izaya, stop sulking."

"I'm not sulking…" Izaya said "…I'm _brooding_…"

"Ha?" Kadota stared and Izaya replied:

"I'm not sulking thank you very much, I'm _brooding_… it sounds cooler," Izaya said folding his arms over his chest, nodding in self approbation.

Kadota let out a laugh and hugged Izaya kissing his cheek.

"Stop! This is _your_ fault!" Izaya said as he attempted to move away but Kadota was pretty strong.

Kadota asked amused, "Why is it my fault?" argh, when he acted like this, Kadota couldn't help but just want to eat him up.

"Because you didn't listen to me! I'm _always_ right and you said "_Nobody is going to come_" with that 'wise' tone of yours and look at what happened!"

"You have a point, but we are talking about Shizuo, he can't be predicted." Kadota reasoned slipping his hands inside Izaya's shirt, touching pale skin.

"Duhhh! I know! That's why I said to do _this_ in my house!" Izaya pushed Kadota away and Kadota caught both of his hands.

Kadota rarely showed his smirk, not many _knew_ he have one in first place, but when he did…

"Ohh, but we can still do that." Kadota said leaning to Izaya's face.

'Damn…' Izaya thought.

_He looked sexy._

•••••

Shizuo was still in shock.

Damn! That was so embarrassing! Kadota was with someone m-making out! And! In the classroom!

Shizuo groaned messing with his hair.

Forget. Forget it. You forget about it! Shizuo told himself while walking.

He walked down the path to the center of the city; he had a few errands to do. The traffic lights turned red and Shizuo stopped. He looked ahead.

The roars of the engines filled the air, like shockwaves.

A red shiny motorcycle passed before Shizuo's eyes.

It was Kadota's motorcycle. But he wasn't alone. Shizuo couldn't distinguish the other occupant identity since he was wearing a black helmet.

But that shirt…

Shizuo couldn't mistake to whom that red shirt belonged to.

Like a conditioned act Shizuo's face darkened and anger flowed into his veins. It was Izaya, that was not a mistake.

But since Kadota's motorcycle was moving they were, without much delay, out of Shizuo's sight. The traffic light turned green and people walked across the intersection. Snapping out of his trance Shizuo walked ahead before the light could change again.

Soon, Shizuo's thoughts about that issue were almost gone. _Almost_. It was not surprise to see Kadota and Izaya together; Kadota was one of the few persons that could handle Izaya's personality. They talked, actually, Kadota talked to Izaya like a normal person. They shared some kind of 'chemistry' as Shinra pointed out one time.

Shizuo couldn't understand that.

And since Kadota could speak in friendly terms with Izaya was no wonder to see them together…

Shizuo frowned.

But Kadota was with someone (making out) a while ago, and he was pretty busy. So, when did Kadota meet with Izaya?

Perhaps, Izaya was waiting for him?

No, that wasn't possible. Shizuo was a genius in bumping into him so it was impossible to have missed him around the school's grounds…

…It can't be, can it?

That the one with Kadota was-

Shizuo shook his head furiously. That was just stupid. That was no possible. That was… was… _just no_.

"Shit! I'm thinkin' too much." Shizuo said to himself and hurried his steps.

The twilight was near.

Shizuo ignored it.

Shizuo ignored it all.

Shizuo ignored the painful tug inside his chest…

That was one of the Raijin Days…

•••••

"…Yes, you did." Izaya said smirking.

"I did not." Kadota said folding his umbrella. The rain had finally stopped.

"Come on, just admit it. You did _grope_ her chest… and~ you~ liked~ it~!" Izaya grinned.

Blushing like a tomato Kadota spat: "It was dark! I couldn't see anything! I thought it was the switch of the lights!"

"What…? Her _nipple…_?" Izaya laughed at Kadota's mortified face.

They were now talking about a place they went in second year of high school. Izaya had been mocking about Kadota's mistakes during that year and Kadota had been desperately trying to deny everything. Kadota couldn't win though.

"It was your fault. You brought me _there_from all of places." Kadota said frowning.

"True. You were so…" Izaya looked at the sky looking for the correct adjective "naïve" he made a sly smile.

"Okay, whatever. So? What about the movie?" Kadota asked.

"Oh, yeah... Maybe another time…" Izaya smiled, "I feel a little tired"

"Oh… Okay. You're going home then?" Kadota said stepping on the middle of the sidewalk.

"…Yeah, straight to Shinjuku," Izaya hid his hand inside the pockets of his hoodie.

"…" Kadota gazed him intently. He walked a bit, standing in front of Izaya, he lifted his hand taking some strands of shiny black hair, softly holding them with his thumb and index finger "Are you okay…? You seem a little different from usual…" Kadota said frowning.

"…Wha…? What are you saying Dotachin? I'm perfectly fine." Izaya said, lightly taken aback.

Kadota stared at him and sighed sullenly. He played a bit more with the shiny black hair, Kadota let go the strands and took hold of Izaya's nose squeezing it hard with the same fingers that were touching his hair.

"Ugg! What the- ? !" Izaya wrinkled his nose drawing his face backward; Izaya grasped Kadota's intruder hand pushing it away from his face.

Kadota didn't put much fight and looked as Izaya rubbed his now red nose.

"If I can do something for you just tell me okay?" Kadota said bending forward a little. Izaya glared at him, still rubbing his nose.

Kadota chuckled, "You have my number, call me anytime" Kadota said as he walked on the sidewalk.

"I'm going to spam your email!" Izaya shouted as Kadota disappeared in the now crowded streets of the city.

"Better send me that book I want! And don't force that hand too much!" Kadota yelled back waving at him, he seemed to have noticed Izaya's padded splint.

Soon after, Kadota disappeared from view.

Izaya was left with a frown. Different? He really looked different? How so?

Izaya was still rubbing his nose lightly, musing about Kadota's words when he felt a shiver ran down his spine as a tall figure loomed behind him. Izaya's instincts told him to jump but instead he turned around slightly.

"…You know, is very rude to get close to someone like that…" Izaya said looking at Shizuo's smoking figure.

With the cigarette hanging lightly from his lips Shizuo managed to said, "My bad"

"…" Izaya stared.

"…" Shizuo stared back.

"…" Izaya put his hood over his head again.

"…" Shizuo took a drag from his cigarette.

"…" Izaya frowned "that's going to kill you…"

"You think?" Shizuo asked as a puff gray smoke left his lips.

"No. Not really," Izaya shrugged, "it's courtesy to say it. In the way we live our lives is more likely to be killed by someone else than for illness. The statistics say so. Well, I'm truly speaking for myself. You are harder to kill than me. A _humble_ human like me can be easily murdered with anything." Izaya laughed at his own words.

For some reason, Shizuo didn't think it funny. How strange, months ago that phrase would have raised his good mood, but right now it only dulled him.

"Anyhow~, it seems that Dotachin didn't see you so~ my work here is done~," Izaya sang.

Izaya turning on his heels he began to walk away.

Snapping out of his stupor Shizuo could only utter an incoherent and incomprehensible "what?"

But it seemed that Izaya could understand it "Bye-bye Shizu-chan~," Izaya waved his hand without turning back.

Something irked within him, without thinking about it he strode forward, Shizuo grabbed Izaya's hand stopping his steps.

Surprised by him Izaya stared at him with an unreadable expression on his face. Red eyes stared straight to honey ones.

Their hands were still together.

"Let's go to the game-center"

•••••

3 – 0

7 – 0

347 – 072

WIN - K.O.

Shizuo gritted his teeth veins popping with anger.

Izaya paused the game and stopped controlling it "…if you are going to get mad I will not play with you anymore. Because when you get mad things start to break and I do not want to pay for any of your mistakes. So, I will recommend you to face it. _You suck at videogames_. And get something to cool you down. That face is scaring people here, without mention that I do not want to see that disgusting face myself." Izaya said demandingly.

"…" Shizuo swallowed saliva, hard. He was so frustrated.

Defeat was not something pretty.

They had played five games and every single one of them Shizuo lost. Shizuo either couldn't make enough points or his main character died in the middle of the combat.

Even in fights games he lost; even though Izaya was held back by his splinted hand.

The game center they picked was one located in a huge mall. People still wandered through the stores. Families, friends and couples were spending their time together.

Shizuo thought about this while he ordered two sodas.

'_Spend time together_'

That sounded pretty cool. He had never really spent time like this, just to hang out for fun. Well, there were a couple of times in middle school with Tom-san but it didn't feel the same.

But what was the difference?

For instance he was spending 'quality time' with no-one more or less than his most hated enemy. Orihara Izaya.

That didn't sound cool at all.

But lately Izaya wasn't behaving like his enemy… he was behaving more like a… friend…?

'He's really my friend…?' Shizuo thought while walking to where Izaya was.

However, his thoughts couldn't reach an end since he found something very unsightly.

Izaya was standing straight and looking at a young man; the man was a bit taller than him.

"…how old do you think I am?" Izaya asked with a neutral voice.

"Nineteen," the man answered immediately, as if he could swear it was true.

"…I should have used my normal clothes…" Izaya muttered to himself.

The man began to spat nonsense. To a certain point Shizuo couldn't take or watch it anymore.

'First Kadota and now this asshole!' Shizuo thought in a flash.

Shizuo walked where Izaya and the nuisance were standing. He approached at Izaya from behind, holding both sodas. Shizuo stopped behind Izaya sliding his left arm over Izaya's shoulder, he passed the soda.

Izaya didn't have time to react and when he got notice of _who_ was-… was half-hugging him, he spoke.

"Here's your soda," Shizuo pushed the soda a bit close to Izaya's face. While Shizuo said that he glared through his sunglasses at the man in front of them.

"…" Izaya took it, "…thank you…"

-Mm… what the f-?

Shizuo moved further to the right, still with his left arm on Izaya's shoulder and neck.

-Taking property…?

The man stood motionless, lost at what to do, as was Izaya.

The raven haired frowned not quite understanding the whole situation. What the hell happened to these two? Their behavior was… was… weird…

Izaya turned his head to the right lightly ready to ask when Shizuo spoke, in rather menacing and harsh voice to the nuisance (the man) to hear.

"We're leavin'" such few words filled with so much scorn and anger.

Shizuo pulled Izaya to follow, their current position obliged Izaya to comply.

The man (nuisance and asshole in Shizuo's terms) was left behind dumbstruck.

•••••

Shizuo was slurping his soda angrily, he walked forward pulling Izaya along, without a care of the whispers and stares people were giving them. Meanwhile, Izaya sipped lightly his soda.

Had Shizuo really helped him…?

No, it didn't seem or _feel_like it.

How could he categorize it…? It was as if Shizuo claimed… something… the word was territory…? No… it was… own-owner-_ownership_?

Izaya stopped dead on his tracks. He bent down his upper body releasing his neck and shoulder from Shizuo's hold. Straightening himself up again Izaya made a face between annoyed, pissed and confused.

"You! I! He! That! I didn't you!"

The translation would be: "You insensate brainless retard! I am a very capable grown up man! He was just talking to me in a way that could be called polite! That, what you did back there wasn't necessary or required whatsoever! I didn't need you to take care of me I am very capable to do so, I am 24, good grief!"

Although Shizuo didn't have the ability to interpret such complex piece of code, he understood something, something very intriguing and confusing.

Izaya slurped his drink as Shizuo said: "He was hitting on you"

The result after that sentence was Izaya choking with his soda.

After a couple of loud coughs Izaya could talk again.

"That's - that's ridiculous!" Izaya looked perplex and disgusted, "We were just talking!"

"…" Shizuo couldn't believe it, "…are you really that dense…?"

"Wha? Don't you dare to call me that you brute!" Izaya glared wiping his mouth.

"…" Shizuo frowned "…you really seem to _not_ understand…"

-Aw…?

Izaya looked mortified.

-Awe…?

'Oh? Did I hit a nerve?' Shizuo raised a brow.

-Awesome…?

"What? Couldn't you see he was flirting? You _did_ understand it when it was Kadota though," Shizuo said finishing his soda.

-Mm, that annoyed him… that thing about Kadota…

"Because it was Dotachin!" Izaya said as if it explained everything.

'So, that means he can only get the hints from Kadota...? ... naïve...?' Shizuo mused.

"…That's… heh…" Shizuo said "…That's unexpectedly cute…"

Like hell Shizuo would say that aloud. Even though he was thinking about it. And it was a bit annoying too, mind you. Kadota's factor, of course.

"That's nonsense." Izaya tried to end the topic. He walked to the electrical stairs, holding his drink with one hand.

"Hey at least admit that I helped you out!" Shizuo said catching up with him.

"I was fine thank you!" Izaya turned glaring upward, because he was first going down on the stair. He sipped his soda.

"You simply don't get it do you?" Shizuo sighed half-amused and annoyed.

"What?" Izaya said acidly.

"…I guess you wouldn't get it even more if I was the one flirting with you…" Shizuo thought aloud and Izaya heard it.

Shizuo bend forward getting near Izaya's face.

"Hey, you wanna come over my place?" Shizuo asked absentmindedly inches away from Izaya's face.

Izaya tripped on the last stair.

•To Be Continued•

A/N: I luv Shizu-Shizu's protectiveness~ *sparkles*.

I hope you have liked this chapter, I made this to settle the things between Kadota and Izaya and Shizuo (...that's pretty obvious... *face-palm*)

Okay, I'm sleepy and tired and it's late... and there's so much noise where I am...

I may not survive this hell... Dx

(lol) just kidding, see you next chapter~ please leave a comment! D: I need motivation!


	8. Chapter 8

Thank you for your comments~!

•Bond•

Shizuo was torn between laugh and growl. Okay, he admitted it, it was partially his fault. But it wasn't reason enough for Izaya to be acting like a busy boss! And he didn't like that glare he wore! It didn't suit his face!

-Yes, it was only because of that-

While Shizuo confused his being with such thoughts Izaya looked (glared) over him while leaning against the wall, angrily supervising his job.

Shizuo was also torn between grin and cry. That would be explained with a single phrase:

_Izaya spilled his soda all over his clothes, when Shizuo asked him to go to his house, directly after he tripped on the stair._

So, Shizuo didn't know if he should _grin_, because he could see more of those marvelous pieces of white flesh that were Izaya's arms, or _cry_ because he was thinking such oddly disturbing thoughts.

One thing was clear though.

He was washing a hoodie in a public bathroom.

"Bullshit!" Shizuo said gripping the fabric with his hands.

"Go ahead, ruin it even more." Izaya said with a dry tone scowling at Shizuo's hands.

Shizuo growled releasing the hoodie lightly, "You can buy another one!"

"No." Izaya seemed so mad. "It _is_ a gift."

It surely seemed like an important possession, which somehow annoyed Shizuo. Because inevitable questions about _who_ bought it? _When_? For _what_ occasion? Popped up, assaulting Shizuo's mind continuously. Shizuo went back to wash with _only water_ the hoodie.

'Seriously, Izaya should be the one doing this' Shizuo thought angrily.

But then again Shizuo knew that Izaya was wearing a splint (which miraculously hadn't stained with soda). Besides, even though, it was a removable padded splint it would be a pain to remove it. And Izaya shouldn't force his wrist. Shizuo sighed darkly, hating the reasoning.

They fell into a comfortable, or better said, resigned silence.

Men came and went repeatedly into the bathroom, and of course they gave Shizuo an indiscreet "WTF?" look.

Shizuo's eyebrow twitched unhealthily.

Izaya's cell phone rang.

[…] the other line greeted first.

"Angry…" Izaya said in annoyed yet indifferent tone.

[…]

"My hoodie is ruined for cause of a retard…" Izaya said clearly to Shizuo to hear.

[…! …! …!] Shizuo could faintly hear laughter.

"Hey! I loved that hoodie!" Izaya growled.

[…]

"Yeah whatever… hey… are you okay…?" Izaya said with an unreadable expression. Shizuo wasn't directly looking at Izaya's face but with the reflection of the mirror.

[…?]

"You sound… different…" Izaya said with an equal indecipherable tone.

[…]

"What? Where are you going? When are you coming back?" Shizuo twitched at that tone… grrr…

[…]

"Of course not! You still owe me that meal you promise me!" Izaya said and Shizuo could only grit his teeth and GRRRR more.

[…~…~]

"I'm not!" Izaya denied it a rather poorly and loudly way.

[…?]

"In the bathroom, washing my hoodie." Izaya came with his apathetic tone again.

[…?]

"…How did you…?" Izaya seemed confused.

[… … …]

"I can take care of myself" Izaya said disdainfully.

[…]

"…" Izaya stared silent deep in thought.

[…]

"I didn't say 'yes'." Izaya raised a brow.

[…]

"Idiot," Izaya said frankly and equally annoyed.

[…]

"…That's all you want to say?" Izaya said irritably.

[…?]

"…Yes?"

[…]

"No," Izaya said suddenly, with conviction.

[…]

"I don't believe in luck… Besides, you don't need it." The other line sure didn't have time to reply at the sudden interruption. Izaya's voice sounded honest and sincere.

[…!]

"The hell I'm not!" Izaya shouted.

[…]

"…What did… you called me…?" Shizuo turned at the expression.

Utter disbelief and embarrassment.

Shizuo was shocked at the faint blush threatening to creep over Izaya's face. However, Izaya was a strong-minded-_human_! Instead of embarrassment, anger flowed in.

"You! Bastard! You hung up on me? !" Izaya dialed the number again and again but there was no response.

Izaya growled threatening to smash his very expensive cell phone on the wall.

-_Nooooo_…

"Argh! Dammit!"

"Hey flea," Shizuo said evenly.

Though the nickname was a bit offensive under certain circumstances, back then seemed more like an attempt to distract Izaya's mind from whatever was tormenting him.

"What? !" Izaya spat angrily.

"Wanna grab a bite?" Shizuo asked casually.

"Huh?"

-It worked.

"Something to eat," Shizuo bared his teeth chewing something invisible making his point clear.

"I-"

"My treat," Shizuo interrupted making a tempting invitation "No matter how much you want to eat, it'd be my treat," though; his pocket was going to cry tomorrow.

"…" Izaya, although a bit confused, nodded.

Shizuo grinned cheekily.

•••••

Fast food services were the only establishments available at the time. That gave Shizuo's wallet a breath of relief. They sat on a table facing the streets outside.

"What's with the forecast…?" Shizuo said leaning back as a lightning and a thunder crossed the sky.

"…" Izaya, however, was silent.

They ate in silence and to a certain point Shizuo couldn't bear it anymore.

"Oi, flea?" Shizuo moved close to Izaya's face.

Izaya looked at him with hazy eyes.

"Izaya, are you okay?" now, Shizuo thought that something was really wrong.

"Yeah…-No... I don't know…" Izaya said pushing aside his food. He had barely touched it.

Shizuo frowned and without care of asking for permission he touched Izaya's forehead.

Shizuo thought that he would find him with fever, but no. Instead he was cold.

Like a corpse.

-Okay, it was no time for panic.-

'But I don't fucking know how to treat this!' Shizuo thought, certainly, panicking.

"Shinra!" the realization hit him like thousand bricks.

While Shizuo dialed Shinra's number Izaya rested his head on the table.

_It hurt_.

Another thunder crossed the sky.

•••••

"Damn!" Shizuo cursed.

Shizuo rummaged through the cabinets of his room. A thick blanket! He needed a thick blanket! Clothes were thrown everywhere. Shizuo cursed again.

Shinra didn't pick up. Celty didn't respond to his texts. No matter to who he called, no matter how many times he dialed their numbers, none of them responded.

"What the hell they're _doing_! ?" if Shizuo was a bit calmer back then he could have thought on the perfect answer, but since his top priority was to find a fucking thick blanket he-

"Aha!" Shizuo said victoriously. Shizuo rushed to his living-room. There, Izaya sat on his couch with his legs against his chest, rubbing his temples with his fingers.

"Cover up," Shizuo said handing the blanket. He looked at Izaya's pale face.

Izaya glanced at it, "I'm fine," he said and Shizuo's eyebrow twitched for umpteenth time that night.

Shizuo extended the blanket and moved to Izaya. Izaya just stared as the mad bull approached at him covering his body up, without permission, with a blanket. His head throbbed again, and suddenly Shizuo's actions were degraded to a second place.

After a moment:

"…I don't feel as bad as I look…" Izaya said, frowning at the changeable sensation in his brain.

"Yeah, you are worse," Shizuo said with a hard look.

"I-" suddenly Izaya's head feel as if he could explode in any second, Izaya groaned "…Okay… granted…" Izaya said pressing his hands over his head.

Shizuo frowned and set his hand on Izaya's forehead.

Cold.

Shizuo trailed his hand to Izaya's cheek.

Cold.

Over his neck.

Cold, cold, cold.

_Just cold_.

"Shit," Shizuo cursed, tightening the blanket around Izaya's body.

He'd to warm him up in some way.

Shizuo rushed to the kitchen.

The buzz in Izaya's head didn't stop. Although his temperature was lower than in a average situation, Izaya's major concern was the pain in his head. It was a buzz, a call, a ring, a shout, all that and more inside his head, inside his ears, inside his chest. It hurt.

Izaya closed his eyes trying to compel the pain away.

It wasn't working.

It hurt _so_ bad. It hurt. It hurt. _.Hurt_.

_Hurt_.

A pair of big warm hands slipped on both sides of Izaya's head. Fingers traveled smoothly through strands of shiny black hair. Two thumbs softly rubbed circles on Izaya's temples. Izaya opened lightly his eyes looking ahead.

"You want an aspirin?" Shizuo knelt in front of Izaya leaning lightly forward.

-The pain-

Izaya breathed in.

-The pain was going away.-

Izaya breathed out closing his eyes.

Izaya lifted his arms lightly, grabbing Shizuo's hands on his own. Izaya laid back onto the couch pulling Shizuo to rest over him. Shizuo was shocked but didn't deny the request.

It was an awkward position. Half of Shizuo's body, from the navel down, was out of the couch while his upper body was resting against Izaya's legs, since the raven hadn't moved of position, in addition he had Shizuo's hands captive.

Even so, Izaya looked comfortable and so much calmer.

Shizuo tried to stand, in consequence Izaya frowned squeezing his hand in sign of complain and probably warning.

"Easy…" Shizuo said maneuvering his body, placing one knee on the couch "…just…" he placed his other knee twisting lightly his body to the left "…lay down on the couch." Shizuo flopped on his side carefully to not fall and carefully enough to set Izaya by his side.

Shizuo's left hand had to be removed from Izaya's head. So instead he set his upper arm under Izaya's head, as a pillow. Shizuo's left hand was still on Izaya's side of head. Izaya's smaller hand and slender fingers grasped tightly Shizuo's hand.

Shizuo had to fight the urge of kiss the sight in front of him.

•••••

Early that night:

Tsugaru sighed quietly watching the stormy weather disappear through the window.

It seemed to be pivoting. Yes, rain. No, rain. Yes, rain. No, rain.

He flipped his cell phone open watching the time 9:58 p.m.

"Orihara-san hasn't come home yet… this is so disappointing… I hoped to say goodbye before my mission…" Tsugaru said with a sigh, he sat on Izaya's chair.

Macha, Izaya's cat, jumped onto his lap.

"Hey little kitty do you know where Orihara-san is?" Tsugaru patted her head.

Macha meowed a couple of times.

"Oh? Orihara-san sure is… cute… seriously 'thanks meal'…?" Tsugaru chuckled and Macha purred.

"By the way kitty how is your job doing?" Tsugaru asked and Macha meowed lightly.

Tsugaru made grin "Perfect! Just in time!"

'Before that' Tsugaru dialed a number and waited for the other line to pick up.

"Hello there, how are you Orihara-san?" Tsugaru smiled.

[…]

"Oh? Why?" Tsugaru frowned rubbing Macha's ear.

[…]

"Oh! That's awful! That insensate deserves death!" Tsugaru laughed.

[…!]

Tsugaru chuckled more, "Don't worry… I can buy you another one. Even though that so called gift was more like a scam."

[…]

Tsugaru raised a brow, "…Why do you ask?"

[…]

Tsugaru could feel Izaya frowning "No, it's nothing really. It's just that I just wanted to say goodbye to you."

[…?]

Tsugaru smiled touched by his concern… and his light panic "Hehe, Orihara-san is worried about a humble being like me…?"

[! ! !]

Izaya responded too soon, Tsugaru just grinned, "Oh my, I am touched, you still remember the first time we met~. Orihara-san is so nice~."

[!]

There was an echo in his voice, "Orihara-san where are you standing?" Tsugaru asked slightly confused.

[…]

"Oh, Heiwajima-san is with you, am I correct?" Tsugaru grinned evilly.

[…?]

"Mm… Anyhow, I hope you have fun, though please don't stay too late in the streets. Even for you there's still danger lurking beneath the alleys. You can't know what could happen…" Tsugaru said seriously.

[…]

Tsugaru sighed at the response, "I know you can but please don't push your luck. Okay?"

[…]

"Thank you." Tsugaru smiled.

[…]

"I know. That's why I'm saying 'thank you' because I know Orihara-san hates it." Tsugaru grinned.

[…]

"Oh why?"

[…]

Tsugaru felt Izaya's irritation "Yes, that's all. Umm, Orihara-san…?"

[…]

"Can you wish me luck?" Tsugaru asked a bit sheepish.

[…]

"…ah, I'm sorry for-"

[…]

Tsugaru smiled "…Orihara-san is so nice!"

[!]

"Okay, I have to go. See you later _honey_." Tsugaru said in soft tone.

[…]

The call ended.

Tsugaru stood, "I can't bring my cell phone with me." He set it on Izaya's desk beside Macha's form.

Tsugaru walked to the front door.

"It's the beginning…"

•••••

The mist and the cold enshrouded every single particle of their beings. Seconds, always those painful long seconds, marked the time of their arrival. Their consciousness, shared feelings and beliefs emerged into one, but, although they were one an impossible barrier compelled them to be apart.

Their sight was blurry, his limbs felt numb.

Their breathing fading away slowly.

A blue crystal hung above their heads. Looping. Moving back and forth. Again and again. A buzz sounded louder and louder until the crystal, the noise, the movement and everything else in the room flattered. A dead cold silence made its presence.

The automatic door opened.

Three men entered a white nifty room.

"I, indeed, hate that thing." A black haired man said chuckling.

The two other men nodded in approval, sharing their sympathy with his thoughts.

"Very well gentlemen," the black haired man clapped his hands smiling, "Let's do our assignments, shall we?"

They nodded sharing a respectful bow to the smiling man. They walked to the respective corners of the empty room. They placed his hands on the walls, a shiny line parted from a point tracing a perfect small square shape. The surface of the wall vanished and a digital panel appeared before their eyes.

They pressed a combination of numbers onto the panel.

The wall behind the black haired man opened. Brick by brick it came apart, like if it was ripping vertically.

A black space was left.

Infiniteness and nothingness.

The two men stood watching as the black haired man walked ahead, firmly, bravely and resolutely to the unlimited black spatial extend.

One meter and his foot would be swallowed up by the dark abyss.

There was no hesitation when his body merged into one with the black.

The wall, as before, moved brick by brick closing the dark space behind.

"Good luck…" one of the man said sighing lightly.

"He doesn't need _luck,_" the other man said annoyingly.

"…He does…" the first one said boringly.

"Tsugaru-san doesn't need it!" the other yelled.

"You're right… where he's going not even luck could be of help…"

•••••

Tsugaru walked and walked.

There was nothing under him. There was nothing above him. There was nothing in front of him. There was nothing behind him….

He kept on walking.

He couldn't see anything, he couldn't feel he was advancing yet he moved forward.

He recalled the first time he moved through this space. A smile suited his features. A real smile, because he recalled with who he was walking with that time.

Tsugaru still could feel his trembling frame clinging at him. It was _his_ first time too and both were scared to death.

But Tsugaru showed no fear in front of _him_, seeing that, _he_ needed him to be strong.

A warm yet painful feeling traveled up to his chest.

When everything finished that time _he_ screamed at him telling him how incredible he was. Although, he was used to those kinds of praises, it was a whole different deal when the praise-phrases were coming from _him_.

Tsugaru's heart couldn't settle, his heartbeats were out of control, his mind and soul were screaming in delight.

_He_ smiled at Tsugaru widely, hugging him tight.

_That was time when Tsugaru realized that he was in-_

A blinding light fell upon Tsugaru's face. In seconds he adjusted his sight to his surroundings.

Tsugaru's destination.

He surveyed the vicinities from the platform he was standing on. There was no-one outside. Tsugaru looked at his watch, 10:57 p.m. The time has stopped.

Tsugaru smiled hollowly muttering "I'm home"

•••••

A pair of pink eyes watched suspiciously at the screen in front of him. While he mused about this, in the corner of the room a young man sat on a chair looking inquisitively at three objects in front of him.

The objects were perfectly lined on top of a small table.

They were in the monitoring room so they had full view of the surroundings of the facility.

"Why is brother here…?" the man with pink eyes said, he couldn't find any answer to this issue "What do you think, love?"

The man on the background didn't hear him, or was pointedly ignoring him.

"…Hey…" the pink eyed man said "…Heeeeellllooooo?" the man stood walking up to the other.

The man sitting on the chair had his eyes glued at the three objects.

"Here's Delic calling Hibiya. Do you copy Hibiya…?" the pink eyed man said and then: "Hibiya!"

Suddenly a scalpel came flying, aiming his sharp edge at Delic's face.

"Holy crap!" Delic dodged the dangerous object falling on the floor. Hibiya rose from his chair in rather perturbing manner.

"Do you have any idea of what you just did you _stupid_ _dog_?" yellow eyes glared down at the shocked man.

Delic gaped.

"Now I have to start again! I am going to-!"

"Wait! I'm sorry! Brother is here! I wanted you to know!" Delic said shielding his face with his arms.

A couple of minutes passed and nothing happened, Delic peeked and saw a hand handed by Hibiya. Delic took it standing on his feet.

"Why is big brother here?" Hibiya asked bending down typing on the digital keyboard searching through the screens.

Delic sighed standing beside Hibiya, "I don't know, love…"

There was a stern silence between them.

Hibiya moved slowly back to standing position "Big brother came for _him_…"

"What? Brother can't know that, can he? It's top secret information. And besides even if brother knew about it he can't do anything… since he is still… sleeping…?" his last words came with uncertainty.

Hibiya stared with sharp yellow eyes at the screen that displayed Tsugaru's location, slowly; so-ever slowly a grin grew and grew on his face.

"Big brother wants to set free his ghost!" Hibiya grinned and grinned, while Delic called security.

"…" Delic frowned as the screens and cameras were shut down and the energy of the facility died instantly.

Hibiya laughed "Big brother is so funny! Sooooo fuuuunny! Funny! Funny! Funny!" he kept on laughing.

Meanwhile Delic found his chair and sat "…I… kind of admire brother…"

Hibiya's laughter faded down, "why?" he asked coldly.

Delic made a half smile well aware that Hibiya could look at his face even though all was into darkness.

"I guess I admire his dedication for Psyche…" Delic said sadly.

"…You are a stupid dog. That dedication is nothing. It has no worth if it's killing you inside out. It has no worth if for the thing he's fighting for is _dead_. And it had no worth if it turned you into a criminal." Hibiya said with clenched teeth.

"But-"

"Stop. It does not have benefit whatsoever on you." Hibiya moved through the penurious space "He's good only if he's _dead_."

"Hibiya… love…"

"…That's the only good thing he can do for us…"

Hibiya left the place and Delic sighed "I miss the old times…"

•••••

"Hibiya should be stricter with the training of this so called 'guards'…" Tsugaru mused aloud as he hopped over five unconscious men.

Tsugaru moved forward through the corridors, he turned left, right, left, left, and right and took the stairs since the elevator was out of power.

He was finally in the right place.

Without hesitation he introduced the code on the digital panel of the laboratory. Even though, the facility was out of power the laboratory had a backup power installation. The automatic doors opened.

Before Tsugaru's eyes, hell broke loose.

•••••

It was an amply place. It was filled with so many tests subjects. Three rows of tanks occupied most of the space, attached to them several meters of wires snaked on the floor, wound around the tanks, pinned against the skin of the tests subject inside.

The contents inside were mostly living beings.

They were _not_ humans but they were indeed living beings. Their humanity was not recognizable anymore.

While Tsugaru moved across the row of hybrids beings his eyes saw as how they had ended. Nothing more that shreds, ragged pieces of flesh. Most of them were dead and others just barely living into a comatose state.

Disposable _things_.

Tsugaru looked ahead. He has a mission to do. He was not here to free them. He was here to free one only specimen.

Something that –he _laughed_- was precious to him.

The last row was near.

Tsugaru's heart began to pound. It was calling him. Heat rose over his face. This familiar sensation… this warm sensation… this nostalgic sensation… it hurt. Tsugaru brought a shaky hand wiping out sweat from his face. He faced the tank he was looking for.

Among several wires of all sizes that were wrapped around his body, needles piercing pale skin, drops of blood mixing with the liquid greeted Tsugaru. Metallic snakes keeping him alive, secure, keeping him out from reality. Black shiny hair floated into the liquid inside the tank. His face had a mask providing him with oxygen. As soon as Tsugaru was in front of the person he felt a painful tug in his heart, so painful it was that he gripped the fabric of his shirt grinding his teeth.

Tsugaru smiled weakly "Heh, so you remember me…? Do not worry... I came to help you… _Izaya-kun_…"

•To Be Continued•

A/N: I gave you more questions, didn't I? Though, from my point of view things are getting clearer… The phrase "All the points are coming together. They'll converge on one spot." Explains pretty much everything. Tsugaru's side is getting questions and Shizaya's side getting answers. :p


	9. Chapter 9

**Bazzinga~!**

•Chocolate Mixture•

Warm.

Izaya was warm.

Izaya was with a normal temperature, finally.

Shizuo sighed in relief, his thumb rubbing Izaya's temple softly. Some fingers of Shizuo's right hand were stroking Izaya's hair every now and then. His left arm still used as some kind of pillow by Izaya. The lights were on, the rain was pouring down outside. For third time that day the sky cried.

_Drip, drip, drip._

Izaya was asleep.

Izaya seemed comfortable.

Shizuo wasn't asleep.

Shizuo seemed uncomfortable.

Unlike Izaya, Shizuo didn't have a support for his neck and to use the arm of the couch would be as uncomfortable. If he was uncomfortable Shizuo should move then?

_No_.

-…Why was that?

Because… -Shizuo was so nervous for a while now- …because, he was afraid that Izaya would stir and move away. It would be very lamentable. Seeing that Izaya was very close to Shizuo's chest, his stomach and legs…

Shizuo was more than willing to sacrifice a night of sleep if he could make that sensation last longer.

And what sensation it was!

Their legs tangled together, their thighs pressing against each other, their stomachs and breathing contractions dancing in a same pace. Izaya's left hand was grasping with his fingers Shizuo's shirt, his slender fingers peeking over the cast of his hand. Shizuo knew Izaya's right hand and arm was somewhere between their bodies, but he really didn't want to think in what kind of place, of better said in which area it was…

Nevertheless, Shizuo felt good and Izaya felt good so everything was… good, right?

Yes.

Shizuo could care less about the horrible pain in his neck tomorrow.

He was in bliss.

Something warm was placed inside his chest, his heart beating hard, a tidy rhythm.

He was feeling good.

So good…

Why?

Why he was feeling good?

Why did his heart beat so hard?

Why so fast?

Why did he want to stay like this?

Why?

Why did he want to set his lips over Izaya?

Why the strongest man in the city was afraid of tomorrow?

•••••

_Secure, secure in his arms_.

Shizuo was falling asleep.

_Secure, and safe in his arms._

Shizuo took a deep breath pulling Izaya against himself.

_Guarded, with all his might._

'_This_…' Shizuo glanced at the person in his arms '…_Izaya_…' his eyelids felt heavy '…_this_…' Shizuo pressed his lips on top of Izaya's head '…_this is mine_…'

_Shizuo drifted to dreamland._

•••••

**Hours Passed and…**

There was an imperceptible twitch on his eyelids.

His body reacted on his own.

His thoughts were unclean.

His body felt weird

His mind was hazy.

He felt as if a gulp of cider had slid through him.

He wasn't cold anymore.

But.

There was a blurring, a buzzing, an echoing pain...

_Ding, ding-ding, ding-ding-ding…_

Suddenly.

All of it smearing away.

It was a ravenous feeling ravaging through him.

It didn't settle his heart.

It left him messy inside.

He opened his eyes slowly. His sight couldn't focus. His body felt numb.

He checked his head. As incongruous as it sounds.

He had to make sure it was his head, because if not, then it wasn't his problem.

Oh.

It was his head.

Oh.

It was his body.

Oh.

Those were his fingers.

That was his hand.

Fingernails, skin, muscle, tendons, bones, veins, cells, atoms…

Hehe, that was funny. No wait. NO. It wasn't funny!

Anyway. This. Thaaaat. All of that.-

-Wasn't his apartment.

Analyzing the past events with a, metaphorically and hypothetically speaking, _cold head_ Izaya resumed his night.

Something was wrong.

Something was just terribly wrong.

Or… wasn't it…?

Bleh. Who cares?

Anyway!

Why…?

Why was he there…?

Why was he in the arms of his most hated enemy…?

_He really didn't care…?_

Izaya was in Shizuo's apartment.

He looked more carefully at Shizuo's face, inching closer and closer.

Why?

Why in first place Izaya had invited Shizuo to be near him…?

The past couple of days seemed like a distant dream.

•••••

The rain still poured down outside. A fine mist pasting on the crystals of the windows of the apartment, cold and humidity rounding every corner of the city's morning. A foggy weather.

_It's heavy._

Something heavy was on top of his stomach; it didn't feel bad to have it on top of him, though it was getting harder and harder to breathe. Also, there was an extra squeeze added to both sides of his body. A hand was on the middle of his chest, pressing lightly.

"…Shizu-chan," a voice descended from above.

Shizuo stirred, but didn't wake up.

"Shizu-chan," the voice spoke again. Shizuo wrinkled his brow muttering an intelligible, "what?"

"I'm hungry," the voice that descended from heaven said.

"…" Shizuo hear it but didn't really listen to it.

"Shizu-chan I want something to eat," Shizuo moved his head and body to the side adjusting his body on the couch he was sleeping on, wrinkling his brow a bit more and taking a deep breath. There was a time of silence. Shizuo felt something akin to a stare.

The weight over his navel and stomach shifted, soft breaths ragged against his face.

A warm cheek moved smoothly over Shizuo's side of face, "Shizu-chan do you want some too?"

Despite the absurdity of this one-sided talk Shizuo still come up with a few conclusions:

"What-ever… Izzy… lemme sleep…" Shizuo grunted drifting to dreamland again.

"Aww… OK then," Izaya said in a rather soft and disappointed tone.

The weight on top of Shizuo was removed.

Somehow… Shizuo's body felt a bit lonely…

There were a few steps, a moment of silence and then were more noises. There was a turn in the lights from on to off, a door opened and then soon after it was closed.

It took several minutes to Shizuo's mind to register what have happened.

Izaya was on top of him. (Shizuo didn't mind it.)

Izaya was hungry. (Shizuo didn't mind… much. Izaya could do his own food.)

Izaya asked Shizuo if he wanted some food. (Shizuo didn't want. Not right there at least.)

Izaya left the apartment to get food and probably wasn't going to return.

-… Shizuo did mind that…-

Shizuo's body jerked forward suddenly wide awake. He looked frantically around. There was no-one there, it was empty. Shizuo jumped out of the couch, rushing outside.

The rain still pouring down, the sunlight could be barely seen through the cloudy weather. Shizuo dashed through the hallway of the building of his residence. He went down the stairs in an incredible speed. Shizuo trotted stairs down.

"…What... What I'm doing...?" he asked himself at some point on his journey. He slowed his pace, coming to a halt.

"I don't have a reason to stop him, do I?" Shizuo stood in silence thinking.

No matter how hard he tried to think, he couldn't think in a suitable excuse to deny what he had affirmed before. Or rather he didn't want to think in a suitable excuse for the reaction he made. It was so foreign. The things Shizuo was feeling _for him._

All what have happened to him yesterday, damn just hours ago!

It was – It was!

Everything was going so fast!

A day! No! A night!

That was all it took to him to change!

_For him…_

Those feelings! Those fucking feelings! Were confusing! Annoying! Weird!

He didn't know what it was!

All was so, so damn scary.

•••••

Shizuo breathed out letting warm water wash his doubts away. The water of the shower was the only thing in what he wanted to think about. He soaped his body, scrubbing dirt away. He didn't want to leave that cramped rectangle. He was in peace there, unaware of the vicissitudes outside of the security of that small room. But he knew better, he couldn't get away forever. He needed to keep on living, no matter how annoying it was.

He has work to do.

And he was late.

Shizuo stepped outside wrapping a towel around his navel, taking another towel for his head drying lightly his hair. Unfortunately, the clothes he needed were in the laundry area. He growled annoyed. His day couldn't get any better!

Shizuo strolled crossing the living-room. He glanced at the couch and saw his jacket on it. Was it there before? He didn't pay much attention to it, walking straight to find his clothes for work. When he found them and returned to his room he sniffed something in the air. Slowly his steps stopped and his head turned to the kitchen area.

There on the counter of the kitchen a pair of red eyes stared at him, certainly, Izaya was amused.

"Shizu-chan, trust his neighbors very much, doesn't he? Leaving the door unlocked, even though, we live in the hard times of delinquency. Or it is, perhaps, that Shizu-chan is too full of himself and trust blindly on his own audacity to handle a robbery attempt? It might just be that Shizu-chan forgot to lock the door when he went to shower. Yep, the last one is more likely, right-right ~ Shizu~ chan~?" Izaya smiled evilly.

Shizuo was lost for words.

•••••

Izaya frowned and decided that the contest of stares was pointless if it meant that the food he was making was going to get burn. So he turned his gaze to the saucepan instead of the half-naked Shizuo. It was a difficult choice to decide, between watch a well-toned blond bodyguard half-naked, or a soon to be delicious looking meal? No. It wasn't. Apparently.

Shizuo, however, was still staring or gawking, something between the two forms, at Izaya.

"…you know… your phone has been ringing for a while…" Izaya said half-mockingly stirring the ingredients on the saucepan.

Suddenly Shizuo could hear the ringtone of his cell phone in the contiguous room. Shizuo looked between Izaya and his room unable to take a decision.

"I wonder if it is Shizu-chan's boss calling~" Izaya said. "Ohh~! Shizu-chan is going to get scolded~!"

Shizuo rushed to his room.

Izaya thought that Shizuo would react and would act like that, but he didn't actually believe it could actually happen.

"The world is full of surprises, huh." Izaya said absentmindedly. He glanced at the window, where the rain poured down; he stared intently into the space… for quite some time. He seemed as if his mind _was losing into_-

-something was burning.

Izaya looked down "Crap!"

•••••

Shizuo knew he wasn't hallucinating. That was a relief. Shizuo changed and tried to not rip his clothes while doing it. Shizuo was surprised? Yes. Did he expect to find that annoying little thing in his kitchen? No. Did he feel a tiny bit happy that Izaya was back…? …Yeah… just a tiny little bit happy…

Shizuo was having a really hard time catching up with everything.

The phone call from before had been as Izaya had said, Shizuo's boss. Yes, Shizuo was late for work; even though his boss wasn't strict Shizuo did have conscience about his work's position. He wasn't exactly the shiny start of the company.

Shizuo wasn't scared about losing his job, because he knew that if he could get fired in the future it would probably be from his own fault. So, he was more concerned about him abusing of his boss's kindness than anything else. Shizuo desired to do things right in his job.

The least he could do was to get on time when his boss called.

Shizuo did have morals and sense of responsibility.

And how he hated that fact in that moment, he had to go. Shizuo had to go and leave Izaya behind.

'Wait. Wait. I gonna leave him here? In _my_ house _alone_? What if-' Shizuo's brain filled with many images of his apartment engulfed in fire, but seconds after, his brain and nose decided that that _insignificant_ fact was something secondary, because right there was chocolate's scent into the air!

Suddenly, the awful images of fire landscapes, the time and lateness, his boss, his responsibilities, the people in general, and the world were forgotten. Instead, the only thing Shizuo could think and watch was Izaya pouring chocolate into two mugs.

•••••

A few questions and explanations:

Why did Izaya leave Shizuo's place? He went to the grocery store. How can be possible that Shizuo didn't have chocolate for a stormy day? –Shizuo didn't have because he'd spent it two days ago and hadn't bought more.

Was really Izaya that hungry? Yes. Definitively.

Why did Izaya returned to Shizuo place? Because he was hungry and it was closer and faster to cook at Shizuo's than go to his own place. Not a very consistent answer but an answers nonetheless.

Was Shizuo over-indulging his tummy lately? Yes.

Was Izaya wearing his red hoodie? No.

With what did he wear to go out then? Shizuo's jacket.

Did Shizuo wish to see Izaya wearing it again, because he knew the jacket was bigger and that it would probably look baggy and adorable on him, since he was assaulted with the urge to see Izaya wearing something of his property…?

_Yes._

•••••

Shizuo sipped from his mug lightly, (Wear my jacket~) "…H-Hey, don't you have a little cold…?" _damn, his voice betrayed him!_

Izaya chewed slowly his food "…I'm fine…" he stuffed his mouth with more food.

Shizuo slapped himself inwardly; he could have suggested it in a different way!

_What was done was done_.

Izaya was finishing eating when two ringtones sounded in the room. One from Izaya's cell phone, and the other from Shizuo's. Both males picked their respective calls.

Shizuo continuously apologized to his boss, without purpose; because his boss wasn't the slightest mad. His boss was more concerned about him than angry, far more preoccupied that Shizuo had gotten into a fight in his way to work than anything else. While Shizuo still excused himself Izaya finished his call. He stared for a moment at the babbling blond.

Izaya went to the laundry area and retrieved his hoodie, he put it on. He walked to the door opening it when Shizuo without previous notice called after him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Shizuo was about to walk to him when Izaya made a sly smile.

"…Call you later. See ya~" And in a blink of eyes Izaya was gone.

While on the other line: [Shizuo? Are you there?]

"Ahh, yes," Shizuo once again was left speechless and unable to think in a proper decision.

What would it be, his work or Izaya?

"…I'm on my way Tom-san."

The call went dead.

•••••

Tanaka Tom was a thinking human being. Using his brain before his muscles, he was a very capable man. He was an admirable person who could, perhaps, well, have nerves of steel since he could handle Shizuo's attics. However, Tom had a long way to go; he still could meet new facets of his employee. Tanaka Tom had never had the pleasure to handle… a sulking Shizuo.

All began two days ago, in a stormy weird weather. Tom had been worried about Shizuo's lateness so he called him. The things apparently went wrong. When Tom called, Tom deduced that Shizuo was with _somebody_, and said person had left while he was calling. So, Tom couldn't help but to think that he perhaps had called in a bad moment.

The reasons for his concern were visible.

Shizuo's soul was leaking out of his body, dark clouds brooding over his head.

However, Tom couldn't make something about it, do things better, and instead they sighed at a same time.

Yet, Tom had to ask "Shizuo… something happened…? You look… quite troubled."

Shizuo walked and walked clearly not listening to his boss's words.

This had had never happened before.

This feeling of _longing_.

This feeling of hopelessness.

His heart felt constricted, 'Though, I'm feeling being severed inside out…' Shizuo thought grimly.

Tom and Shizuo walked ahead, both sighed quite dreadfully.

•••••

"Call you later" that was what Izaya had said before when he left, Shizuo felt like he was being stupid for trust in his words.

Stupid.

'Yes, I am' Shizuo thought angry.

It was the afternoon of the day three. Shizuo wasn't exactly in a happy mood. The unhealthy veins popping out of his face was proof of it.

He felt betrayed. He didn't quite grasp the _why _he felt betrayed in first place but the emotion was there so it was true. Thus he was going to make shreds of the next poor unfortunate idiot who dared to annoy him in a way of another.

Tom had said he could take the rest of the day, with the weather as it was they couldn't work properly. Truth to be told Tom just didn't want to see more bloodshed for the day.

Shizuo kept walking under the rain holding his umbrella. He wanted to go home and sleep because he didn't want to think that Izaya was playing with him in some kind of mental torture and that was the why he wasn't calling him.

Shizuo sighed; he felt a bit disappointed…

He looked up chilly air grazing his skin.

_Buzz._

Shizuo walked ahead again.

_Buzz._

Shizuo suddenly felt that something was wrong. His leg was buzzing, in his pocket where his cell phone was, more correctly.

He slipped his hand in his pocked flipping his cell phone open.

[Are you free?]

Shizuo texted back [Who the fuck are you?] he wasn't in a really good mood.

Almost immediately he received a reply [My bad, I forgot that Shizu-chan is a Neanderthal and that he doesn't understand the advanced technology of the setting called _ID_. So, to correct that awful mistake and made a good use of that grey matter called brain which you don't use often, more accurately _never_, save my number under the nickname "Orihara Izaya-Sama Lover of Humankind" and I am sure you'll never forget my number again! (^o^)/ ]

Time passed and Izaya didn't have a reply.

However, Shizuo did [You know, I going to do this to you: Σ(^∀´(┗┐ヽ(^∀^ )ﾉ I promise. Anyhow, you are or not?]

[What?] Shizuo replied.

[…I seriously doubt about your capabilities of deduction… Are you free or not? (-ω- )o＜]

[Yes, I am... Why do you ask?] Shizuo waited and waited for a reply, but didn't get any so he decided to text another mgs.

It was difficult to do so while holding an umbrella.

The chaos in the sky turned into light, almost magically the rain stopped and the sunlight fell upon the city. Shizuo was still editing the message. So he didn't pay attention to the shadow looming behind him until it was too late.

Shizuo was pounced down.

_Hard._

"Hello there, Shizu-chan~!" Izaya said, grinning happily, "Like I promised! I kicked you!"

Yes, the sun was shining again.

•To Be Continued•

**A/N: **I declare myself guilty :I… I used too many emoticons! (lol) they're so cute :3

xD anyhow. This chapter was entirely for Shizaya :3! Shizuo and Izaya are getting closer *ufufufu*. I also 'subtly' suggested some changes in Izaya's mind and body (._.).

My favorite phrase of this chapter is when Shizuo said: _'This is mine'_ thinking in Izaya Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ ohmygosh! And when Shizuo said: _'__What-ever… Izzy… lemme sleep…'_ is so cute D:

Mm, I like them only because I'm the author? o.O? Do you like them too? Which is your favorite part? C: I'd like to know~


	10. Chapter 10

"Ah, this strange scene which I behold," said a great man "can it be reality…?"

•REM sleep•

The earth trembled. Its frame, the ground, was being torn apart; a swelled red sphere emerged through the fissure in the soil. The red form dragged throughout the fissure with an incredible force, its content was a blurry shaped form, engulfed into a reddish-brown color. The delicate surface of the sphere burst open.

The land was tainted in scarlet red as rivers of blood made its way onto the ground. Its fillings spilling like sea waves, soon after it was almost dry inside, the being inside the sphere moved lightly.

In the distance, a brawl echoed; pleadingly, longingly, angrily clamoring for its partner. The sorrowful cry grew louder and louder. The beast approached to the place where the sphere exploded, where the shaped form of a person moved through the red liquid, where the earth cringed in fear.

Darkness covered the firmament; a black shadow killed the sky slowly, taking the light away.

The brawls were getting louder, the beast coming closer and closer to the form of a man. The man on the ground was breathing heavily; his eyes were lost into the darkness above. His eyes were seeing something that wasn't there. The cries stopped and the beast stomped forward to meet the man. A dark figure as dark as the sky stilled its frame in front of the man, the beast cried in a demonic delight.

Four legs moved over the man, dark empty eyes looked down, sharp teeth grinned. In a second two arms protruded from the torso of the beast, flesh ripping apart, pieces of red muscles falling onto the ground. The wound healed almost immediately. The beast's mouth opened, a long tongue stretched over the man's face.

It laughed.

"_Shi…shishi…shishishi…"_ hissing happily, it moved its news arms and hands, its claws moved to grasp the man's face.

The sharp black nails caressed pale skin.

The toothy grin widened, black eyes studied intently the scarlet eyes of the man taking liking of the golden streak on them. It loved it. Slowly, so ever slowly the man's arm lifted taking a hold of the beast neck, a hand trailing its path to the beast's chest and then to its arm. The frame of the beast quivered excitedly. Its arm moved, a rough scaled hand grasped the man's hand gently, squeezing it lightly. The beast licked the man's face, cleaning the blood away.

The beast contorted his jaw, bones cracking and body shuddering.

_This was it._

_This was it._

_He was finally there._

The beast trailed his tongue along the skin of the man 'till its jaw was over the man's mouth.

It whispered his name against his skin, with a voice that did not belong to any creature over the earth's surface "…_Iza…ya…"_

More blood flowed as its teeth carved carefully deep into his neck.

•••••

Izaya startled jumped on his bed; his heart was beating fast, racing like crazy, his hand was on his neck, pulse rating. He panted, cold sweat rolling over his temples, his pupils were dilated and his mind was hazy. His throat was dry. He was shaking.

His room was dark; so he turned the lights on.

He cursed holding his head with his hands.

His head was throbbing.

"…That… dream… again…"

It was so real.

It felt real.

Was it real?

•••••

**One day earlier…**

"Namie-san! Namie-san! Namie-san! I have sinned!" Izaya said dramatically, "I have damned my impeccable record! I have committed the worst sin against my own principles!"

"Hm" Namie, his secretary/assistant/minion/employee said.

"I have been neglecting my humans!"

"Hm," Namie said while she arranged paperwork into the shelves of Izaya's office.

"…Namie-san, at least pretend you are listening to me…" Izaya said slumping on his chair "…You're no fun…" Izaya complained.

"Hm," Namie said.

A bit annoyed Izaya demanded: "I want tuna and black olive cream spaghetti and for dessert, ice coffee and mango custard."

"Hm," Namie said.

Silence.

"…Namie-san… could it be… perhaps… that you're angry…?" Izaya tilted his head.

"Where were you yesterday?" Namie asked with a chilly tone, sending daggers at Izaya direction.

"Um… Can I know why you're angry?" Izaya asked avoiding the question.

"You left all your work to me yesterday. Even though I'm your co-worker you don't have the right to exploit me". Namie said darkly.

"I differ about that." Izaya said naturally, "Your contract perfectly states that kind of situation. And for the record, yesterday was the first time in which that clause was fulfilled, so I don't see the problem about it. Instead, that makes me think that in reality you have an ulterior motive about it. So, please be honest with yourself and ask about the things you want to ask me about. OK?" Izaya smiled.

"Where were you yesterday?" Namie asked again.

"Ikebukuro." Izaya's smile was restrained a bit.

Namie walked up to him and hovered over him threateningly. She was about to ask with _who_ he'd been wasting his time while she worked her ass off for him when Izaya looked at her startled, she frowned and he spoke.

"You're doing the same thing that occurred at the beginning of my dream last night. That thing about hovering over my head and look at me menacingly. Though, I do hope that that monster doesn't appear and jumps to eat your head…"

"What?"

"I have a dream last night. No. It is nothing important! Nothing is going to eat you! Yes! Rest assured! Let's back to work! I have to catch up with my work!"

Namie was forced to forget about her anger. But she didn't forget about that look Izaya gave her.

It was the first time she saw that look on him.

•••••

**Today's sunrise…**

He wasn't scared.

Scarlet eyes with a golden streak on them observed the beast from afar. The light and the darkness fought the sky. This time the man with scarlet eyes wasn't alone; behind him people crowded talking among themselves in quiet whispers. The man tilted his head in confusion. Weren't they scared? The dark beast was a couple of meters away from them.

At some point the beast spoke, slurring his words.

"…_Hell…o… ag…ain…"_ was the man the only one able to see it? Was the only able to hear it? "_I… wan…t … to… be… wi…th…you…"_ its arms stretched to reach for him, but it couldn't touch him, "…_Won't… yo…u… cry… o…ut… an…d… call… for… me…?"_ the man turned his back to the crowd watching the beast's empty eyes, "…_on…ly… your… vo…ice… can… set… me… free…"_ the beast cracked his bones, neck and head twitching harshly, "…_Don't… worry… I…won't… eat… yo…u…"_ the beast showed its toothy grin.

The man stared for a moment and the beast spoke again, "…_I …will… love …yo…u…"_ the man's lips twitched, "…_love you… no… mat…ter what…"_ the beast made a step forward going into the light's territory. Each step it made shadows covered its path. It whispered sweets words for the man, its voice clearing with the time.

"_I'll love you no… matter who you kill…"_ the beast was a few feet away from the man, "_Call for me,"_ it grinned, sharp teeth showed in a type of affection.

It whispered more bewitching words. The darkness and the beast crawled at the same time; it slipped through the light, "…_Be… mine…" _it's cold claws were inches to touching his skin.

Inches to grasp his life.

"_**Hell no.**_" A voice said, warm breath tickled the man's ear. Two arms wrapped protectively around the man's chest and neck pulling him backwards "**He's mine.**" The voice growled darkly "**Not yours.**"

The man's eyes could see messy blond locks. He could feel warmth behind his back. He glanced at the arm that secured his neck; a long scar adorned the skin along the forearm. His heart warmed, he knew this person. The beast brawled.

The blond smirked "**Too bad fucker,**" the man was wrapped more tightly, but not harshly.

The captive man smirked too…

"**Izaya doesn't want ya dipshit.**" Both men were in sync, they snickered at the beast.

It backed away snarling lowly. However. It didn't go away.

The arms of the blond tightened lightly, "**I won't give him up to anybody**…" Izaya looked up… to see his face…

The beast hissed lowly, soon after it growled madly, rage and hate polluted from its scent.

"_Mine!_" its eyes filled with blood, its voice drowning with wrath and indignation.

"…**Heh…**"

The cry of war was made and the beast charged forward. The movements of its muscles were precise, calculated, perfect, powerful, simply marvelous. It looked for one thing only.

_Kill_.

The blond pushed Izaya behind his back. With decision and resolution he charged against the beast. The blond was wearing a white grin. The final of everything will be set with one hit. Two powerful beings were prepared to die with just one blow.

In the eyes of the beast could be seen hate and resentment.

In the eyes of the blond could be seen only pure delight.

In their clash, a dreaded silence ruled over the time and space, until a laugh was made, until the sounds of gasps and bones cracking were over.

"**Fuck off loser.**" The beast's skull was kicked and the blond returned to where Izaya was.

They were standing in front of each other, "**Ya little runt,**" he said bending to Izaya's eye-level, "**do ya know…**" he grasped Izaya's cheeks pinching them hard, "…**what ya did?**"

The blond was wearing that maniac grin, veins bumping from his face. He was happy or he was mad? The casual observer could have never guessed the difference. Izaya, who cheeks were being abused terribly, glared, digging his nails on the palms' of the blond trying to break free. It was futile. The blond applied more pleasure with his fingers. It hurt badly. He closed lightly the distance between their faces.

"**Ya sorry…?**" the corner of the grin twitched… how lovely…

Izaya stuck his tongue out.

"…**Of course ya don't! Ya never! Ya little runt!**" The blond pinched and squeezed Izaya's cheeks a few moments more, slowly the pinches had deceased, instead, his hands were just grabbing Izaya's face. It was a deep stare, a contemplative stare, a fond stare. How did it turned out like that then? How was possible that the same hands that killed the beast, that were drenched in blood, were caressing with such tenderness Izaya's skin? The blond pulled Izaya closer. Izaya was wearing a neutral face, a soft line his lips were and his eyes a deep sign of calm.

The grin of the blond had been replaced with a sly smile; he lowered his face and placed a kiss on Izaya's left cheek, doing the same with the other. He stopped, and placed together their faces, their cheeks felt warmer.

His voice was deep, "**Say my name,**" his tone and speech had changed.

Izaya stilled, "**You can…**" he kissed the jawline of Izaya, "…**Do it…**" he trailed his lips to Izaya's neck kissing the middle of it.

Izaya opened his mouth but no word came out.

The blond straightened a bit, "**please… do it for…**" he bent forward lightly again, placing hesitantly his forehead against Izaya's "…**for me**" the golden streak of his red eyes twinkled, reverberating inexplicably.

Like magnets their lips merged together, Izaya's sides of face were covered by two big warm hands.

They pulled apart briefly.

Their lips were still brushing.

With a cracking voice that he hadn't used in a long time Izaya said "_Shizuo..._"

•••••

How many of our daydreams would darken into nightmares, were there a danger of their coming true! -Logan Pearsall Smith

•••••

Namie was in a precarious situation. Namie had never been in a position like that. Certainly, she would like to never have to deal with it again. How could she have fallen in such disgrace? One word. Money. Damn it. Even though Namie felt reluctant about the issue itself, he found herself enjoying the work, which of course was a problem. Because she had never allowed a man, other than Seiji, to use her lap. And certainly, she hadn't allowed Izaya to use it before, until now. Namie opened his mouth to protest more when Izaya's voice beat her.

"I'm your boss, you like it or not. I will pay you a good sum of money. I will give you vacations. And the only thing you have to do is to sit still and listen. Erase of your mind that stupid concept that I have louses. If you don't believe so then you can clean yourself in bleach afterward if you may." Izaya adjusted his head on Namie's lap. Her tights were definitively soft and comfortable. It felt so different from the muscles of- argh!

Izaya groaned rubbing his hand on his face.

Namie looked at him with an unreadable expression "Care to explain why you are so… angry?" She leaned back on the couch of Izaya's office. Izaya tilted his head lightly to look at her with what could be called a _displeased pout_.

Namie had, _or not_, the fortune to see the most childish attics of his boss.

"Throughout history, people have sought meaning in dreams or divination through dreams. Dreams have also been described physiologically as a response to neural processes during sleep; psychologically as reflections of the subconscious; and spiritually as messages from gods, the deceased, predictions of the future, or from the Soul. Many cultures practice dream incubation with the intention of cultivating dreams that are prophetic or contain messages from the divine." Izaya said.

"You have a bad dream again then?" Namie said exasperatedly.

"The meaning of 'Subconscious'?" Izaya asked stretching his arm up flexing his fingers.

"Oi, I am-" she stopped briefly, "-If I don't say the meaning you are not going to pay me, are you?"

"You're, indeed, a genius" Izaya grinned.

Namie huffed "The term '**subconscious'** is used in many different contexts and has no single or precise definition. This greatly limits its significance as a definition-bearing concept, and in consequence the word tends to be avoided in academic and scientific settings." She looked coldly at the _thing_ on her lap, "In everyday speech and popular writing, however, the term is very commonly encountered as a layperson's replacement for the unconscious mind, which in Freud's opinion is a repository for socially unacceptable ideas, wishes or desires, traumatic memories, and painful emotions put out of mind by the mechanism of psychological repression. However, the contents do not necessarily have to be solely negative."

"Namie-san is so cool~" Izaya clapped.

"I have not finished," Namie said.

"Oh. Go on then." Izaya said.

"The word "subconscious" is an anglicized version of the French _subconscient_ as coined by the psychologist Pierre Janet. Janet himself saw the _subconscient_ as active in hypnotic suggestion and as an area of the _psyche_ to which ideas would be consigned through a process that involved a "splitting" of the mind and a restriction of the field of consciousness." Namie closed her eyes, "done."

"Namie-san is soooooo coooool~!" Izaya grinned.

"Can I hit you?" She asked.

"Nope." He answered.

There was a friendly silence until Izaya regained their topic.

"There is not a universally accepted biological definition of dreaming. In 1952, Eugene Aserinsky identified and defined rapid eye movement (REM) sleep while working in the surgery of his PhD advisor. Accumulated observation has shown that dreams are strongly associated with Rapid Eye Movement during which an electroencephalogram (EEG) shows brain activity to be most like wakefulness."

"Hm" Namie said as her hand moved to rest on her right tight; he brushed some of Izaya's strands of hair. She noted the silkiness.

"According to Sigmund Freud, dreams are more often forgotten entirely, perhaps due to their prohibited character. Altogether, these problems seemed to put them beyond the realm of science." Izaya frowned, "The boundary of the dream world and the real world is thin…"

"I'm not following your trail of thoughts," Namie said.

"We really live in reality? Or our existence itself is a real dream? Which is true reality?" Izaya said looking at Namie.

"…Can I go now?" She said in bored tone.

"Have you ever fallen in love in a dream…? Have you felt that when you wake up, you have a terrible feeling of loss…?"

Namie did not expect that comment, "No. I haven't experienced such thing…"

Izaya was thinking in silence.

"So… did you…?" Namie couldn't believe she was asking this, "Did you fell in love…?"

Izaya looked up to her, "No. I didn't."

"Of course you didn't…" Namie said deadpanned.

"I didn't… but someone in my dream did… and… I'm jealous…" Izaya said irritably.

Namie could only stare astonished.

Izaya noticing the incredulous stare spoke, "What? Can't I be angry at my own dream?"

"No, is just that I didn't think you'd spoke so frankly." Namie said serious.

"I, _always_, speak honestly" Izaya said in displeased tone.

"I suppose, but, not about this type of issues." Namie answered, her hand unconsciously moved to Izaya's head, playing with shiny black strands of hair.

"Is that so…?" Izaya asked mild surprised.

"Yes. You have changed in this couple of weeks…" Namie said as her slender finger caressed Izaya's hair.

Izaya did not look pleased with the answer. A moment after Izaya's mobile rang. He talked about work in the phone while Namie still played with his hair.

Namie sighed tiredly after Izaya ended the call. "You finished?"

"Yes" Izaya said.

"Why did you want to do this session?" Namie asked.

"Eh? For nothing in particular~." Izaya grinned.

"What…? That's all?"

"Yup."

Namie sighed.

She caressed his head, then, she finally realized what she was doing "Ahh, crap. I have to go and purify myself with abrasive chemicals," she stood and Izaya almost fell on the floor.

"Wait, where are you going?" Izaya asked looking at her retreating form.

"**Out,**" Namie barked slamming the door shut.

While Namie walked out to the front door of the building opening her umbrella a faint blush married her features.

Rain was falling down.

What the hell did she do back there?

•••••

In that same afternoon, Izaya texted Shizuo. They met again. They, again, shared that odd thin line of mutual tolerance. They believed in that definition. However, something deeper than their thoughts had other meaning for it. Something deeper within their beings knew the truth, knew the name of the thing Shizuo felt and what Izaya was discovering. That something wanted to exist. That _something_, wanted to be released.

It didn't want to fade away.

It wanted to throw its essence to the wonders of the unknown, because, it couldn't take it anymore. Only one person knew about that ethereal existence. Or rather, like a gardener planning the growth of new seeds, looked after it. That night everything changed.

That night Tsugaru arrived at Ikebukuro.

•••••

To see a World in a Grain of Sand  
And a Heaven in a wild Flower,  
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand  
And Eternity in an hour.  
~William Blake, "Auguries of Innocence," 1810

•To Be Continued•


	11. Chapter 11

**Sorry, **no reply today :( life is hectic and I'm being nice saying the word "hectic". But I do read your comments! They drift me to happiness~**. Thank you!**

**A **meaning you would like to have in mind:

**Psyche**: means human soul, the human spirit or soul and the human mind as the center of thought and behavior. Is also the wife of Cupid but that doesn't really matter…

•Dimension•

**1:24 p.m.**

Light clouds were passing through the blue sky.

"Awww, stop!" he complained. "Shizu-chan!" Izaya was upset.

Shizuo, who was being complained to, promptly ignored the other striding ahead.

"Seriously, it's no fun when you act like this! No fun!" Izaya barely stopped the urge to stomp the ground in disappointment.

Shizuo walked ahead silently, his cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. Though he was looking ahead, he could still see Izaya walking behind him on his left side. Shizuo was using this silent treatment because one, Izaya had kicked him before, and second, the raven-haired man deserved it. After all, he didn't keep his word when he said he would call Shizuo three days ago.

So, in a few words, it was a little tantrum made by Shizuo for Izaya. Besides, it was funny to see Izaya mad, Shizuo thought.

Izaya was really upset. Shizuo had never ignored him before. _Never_. It was a little shocking that he was being ignored despite all the things he'd been saying to catch Shizuo's attention during their walk.

He did not like it. Not at all. Well, he did like to have his personal space from outsiders but… but… when it came to Shizuo's, he really-

"Oof!" Izaya couldn't end the process of his thoughts. While he walked (absentmindedly) behind Shizuo, he didn't notice the blond stopping in his tracks, and in consequence he bumped into Shizuo's back.

Shizuo turned around, bending down to Izaya's eye-level.

_Too close._

"Buy me lunch," Shizuo said, looking into his eyes.

"Hah?" Izaya asked, backing away lightly.

Shizuo grabbed Izaya's shoulders, looking straight into his eyes. "Lunch."

Izaya felt his tummy fill with butterflies "…Yes…?" He wasn't sure about anything anymore.

"OK," Shizuo said, turning Izaya around. "Over there," Shizuo said, pushing Izaya to walk in the opposite direction. Izaya had many question marks above his head. Shizuo ushered the smaller to walk faster.

Shizuo didn't want Izaya to notice Kadota behind them.

However, Kadota did see Shizuo pushing **Izaya** _gently_. "…Jesus Christ…" he said.

•••••

**1:37 p.m.**

Izaya had his right elbow on the table in front of him, cheek resting on his palm, watching people pass by the window. Shizuo, who was at the register, was mesmerizing his eyes with the sight displayed before him. That simple pose was dazzling. Shizuo snapped out of his stupor when his order arrived. Like the ex-waiter he was, Shizuo moved easily through the crowd holding two trays. He reached their table and set the food in front of Izaya after he sat.

Izaya was still resting his cheek on his palm, but instead of observing the flow of the crowd outside, his red eyes fixed on Shizuo.

Faking ignorance, Shizuo began to eat. Izaya was still looking at him with a twinkle of amusement as the time passed. With a small snicker, Izaya grabbed one of his napkins; he folded it two times, making a small square. Shizuo chewed slowly, watching with mild confusion at the annoying little thing. Izaya stretched his right arm across the table to Shizuo's face; he wiped mayonnaise from Shizuo's chin.

Izaya laughed hard at Shizuo's red face.

Nobody was watching them. And if they were it didn't matter, because in those instants no-one else existed.

The only thing that mattered was each other's company.

•••••

**1:51 p.m.**

"Don't you think the forecast has been strange lately? The weather has been fluctuating, changing erratically. It seems as if someone was controlling it. It seems that is going to rain again. What do you think? There is a force even greater within the realm of our reality? Or is it a clear scam told by people who are too afraid of the reality, that there's no more than this? Tricky, isn't it?" Izaya asked, while both of his arms rested on the table, his eyes roaming outside the window.

"Hrm," Shizuo said, before slurping from his soda.

They had finished their meals and were talking about trivial things. Well mostly, Izaya talked and Shizuo replied with small comments, nods or grunts.

It was such a peaceful day.

•••••

**3:16 p.m.**

The licks were not long, but delicate. A pink tongue appeared and disappeared from Shizuo's view. Seriously, why did this keep happening to him? Every single move Izaya made set Shizuo under a spell.

Everything he made was graceful.

-How messed up in the head he must have been to think that way, the old version of Shizuo could have said.

Izaya glanced at Shizuo and pointed at his hand. "It's melting." Izaya went back to eating his ice-cream.

"Huh?" Shizuo looked at his palm.

Delicious melted ice dripped from his skin to the ground.

Izaya glanced disapprovingly at Shizuo and handed him his only napkin. Soon after Shizuo's hand was clean and Izaya had eaten, the raven-haired man stood and walked away from the bench they were sitting on.

Shizuo, without asking, followed him.

Izaya, without showing it, waited for him.

Without words they talked.

•••••

**5:43 p.m.**

It was a long walk. More like a planned rove through streets and alleys. They barely talked and when they did, something was off. Something was misplaced. Something infested their voices. A delicious poison dizzied their senses. It pleased them and annoyed them. An ambivalent equivalence summed up in their hearts.

What am I doing?

What did I plan to do?

Why am I doing this with him?

Strangely, both were thinking the same things. Unanswered questions surfaced again and again. Many questions were seeking answers. But none of them asked. Neither of them wanted to know, or, both were too afraid, affronted with the possibilities of the answers.

However, wasn't it worth it to try?

Was it?

Shizuo halted.

Izaya, after a few seconds, stopped too, turning around lightly.

They stared at each other for some time while dark clouds enshrouded the city, slowly taking the light away.

The first drops of rain fell upon the city.

Izaya faced up. He suddenly felt a nostalgic feeling. As if he had experienced it before. Something like a sad memory.

Izaya didn't notice when Shizuo walked to him. Not until his face hovered over him. Like a reflex, Izaya tried to move away, but Shizuo grasped his upper arm.

"Why do you…?" Shizuo tried to ask. "Why do I…?" His face was troubled.

Izaya just stared at him, with a strange feeling. He definitively wanted to flee from there, because he knew the pounding in his heart was Shizuo's fault, and maybe if he got away from Shizuo it would stop. Yet, he wanted to stay. He really didn't want to go. He didn't want to stay away from the blond.

"Explain," Izaya finally said. Though, he wasn't so sure if the word was solely meant for Shizuo.

Shizuo grabbed both of Izaya's arms, pulling him closer; he lowered his face, nose brushing Izaya's.

Rain still fell, soaking them with chilly water.

"Why do I want to do this?"

They kissed.

•••••

**11:52 p.m.**

The door cracked open. A shadow walked in, passing through the dim room. The shadow went to the second floor. A pair of yellow eyes gazed intently at the newcomer. It began to undress. The shadow climbed over the bed, crawling on the bedclothes until he was on top of the sleeping person, owner of the room.

The shadow turned on the lights of the lamp placed on the nightstand.

Izaya stirred, covering his eyes with a hand, grumbling.

Tsugaru grinned and grasped Izaya's hand; he lifted it to his eye level and waited for Izaya to look at him. Drowsy red eyes stared. Tsugaru kissed his palm, enjoying how confused Izaya was.

Tsugaru kissed Izaya's hand sweetly, covering the back of it with his much larger hand.

He trailed butterfly kisses along the skin of his forearm as he bent his body over Izaya, finally kissing his cheek tenderly.

"Wait, what… shit, what're you doin'?" Izaya fought his sleepiness.

Tsugaru grinned, kissing Izaya dearly. "I am a low scumbag who takes advantage of your weakness, Orihara-san, yes I am… Well, if I need to be a scumbag to be able to do this to you, then I shall be the greatest scumbag ever!"

Izaya stared silently.

Tsugaru resumed his work, kissing his cheek again. He trailed his lips to the corner of Izaya's mouth. Tsugaru stopped abruptly and kissed Izaya's forehead instead.

"_Why are you doing this?_" Izaya said, pushing him off.

"Because I want to-" Tsugaru said, trying to kiss him again.

Izaya stopped Tsugaru's talking in an even tone. "No, why are you doing this to _me…_?"

"…That-"

"I know…" Izaya interrupted him. "No, I don't know for _who_ this is meant… I just know that this isn't for me…" Izaya stared at him calmly. "It's always been like this since the first time I met you. You were looking for someone else in me… you _are_ looking for someone else in me…"

Tsugaru was temporally speechless. "…I, also like this about you," Tsugaru smiled. "You are smart, sharp… and surprisingly blunt when half-asleep."

There was sadness in his tone.

"…I'm tired… lemme sleep… isn't like you're going to answer me anyway…"

"He he, you sweetie. You don't want to force me to tell you. You're so nice. Indeed, indeed, as soft as a marshmallow." Izaya attempted to glare and Tsugaru remembered something. "By the way, did you have fun on your date?" Tsugaru teased.

"What?"

"Your date with Heiwajima-san."

"…'Thanks meal'…" Izaya corrected.

"Of course it was that. How was it?" Tsugaru turned the lights off and kissed Izaya's cheek one last time.

"…Fine…" Izaya answered, hugging a pillow and nuzzling his face in it.

"…Mm? What happened? Is there a thread of indisposition in your voice?" Tsugaru asked while he hugged Izaya from behind, pressing him against his chest.

"No," Izaya said hugging his pillow harder.

"My my, Orihara-san is kind of tsundere, isn't he?" Tsugaru kissed the back of Izaya's head.

"No," Izaya said sluggishly.

Tsugaru sighed, amused. He was ready to go to sleep too when a meow sounded in the quiet room. Tsugaru directed his gaze to the yellow eyed cat. The feline meowed some more and Tsugaru felt himself tense. Without consideration, he turned all the lights on.

Izaya flinched and glared at him.

"I need to talk with you." Tsugaru stood.

Tsugaru wasn't smiling.

•••••

**1:08 a.m.**

"…I've been telling you, Orihara-san. Izaya-kun is you and you are him. Your existence is both the same and different. I assure you, I have not a motive to lie to you. I won't feed us lies here_, they're_ not giving us much time anyway." Tsugaru said, serious.

"…I do think… that you just want to piss me off," Izaya said acidly.

"What is within your essence is nothing more than a shred of a different psyche. If I can paraphrase it, we can call it an abnormality of pure energy. You were lucky, from all the scenarios of thousands of possibilities, you, Orihara-san, are still you. The timeframe you live on is intact. However, Izaya-kun's didn't have such luck, or in this case, improbability. So to resume, you are going to be able to live like yourself… to a _certain extent_. I have made sure of that."

"I just can't conceive of this happening. You pretend to make me believe that there are more of _us _out there in some inconsistent thing called alternative universes?"

"I do not pretend to be over-confident and make you believe something that I, myself, can't comprehend to its full extent. Do I know that there are more _me's_ in other realities? I do not know," Tsugaru said. "I…We, live like this, living what we have to live, living from what we know about ourselves. It's absolutely ridiculous to try to comprehend everything in life and the universe."

Izaya paced in his living room.

"But who knows? The possibilities are infinite. Perhaps, we are watched by even greater forces. The space is infinite and endless."

"Don't you dare lecture me about religion right now," Izaya growled.

"I am not doing it. I have been telling you since the first time we met. I only care about the development of my plans. The end is meaningless. And right now, you are in the crucial pinpoint. You have made contact with your other-self. Well, more likely he did the contact... Like twins who seem to share a supernatural connection to each other, the spirits travelled through space, calling out to their pairs." There was a mixed feeling on Tsugaru's face, an expression between delight and worry.

"Hypothetically speaking, I _haven't agreed_ with your words. Why do this _Izaya_ and I have that 'energy'?" Izaya rubbed his temples.

Tsugaru made a small smile and continued. "Because its purpose is to be within you, to fill an invisible vacuum. To repair a _fissure _."

"…if there was a space left behind, then something was there before it, right?"

"Sharp."

"What was it?"

"My lover."

"…Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"Do you expect me to believe that rubbish?"

"You changed. Psyche transmitted some of his essence to you and to Izaya-kun. Its purpose was-"

"So, you're only here because I look like your dead lover then?" Izaya said, mordacious.

Tsugaru was quiet, looking at Izaya with an unreadable expression.

"The first time we met you weren't smiling at me," Izaya said as a fact, bitterly. "You, you are telling me that I am a mutant now? A freak? A fucking monster? !"

"You shouldn't be fretted. You _are_ safe. Izaya-kun can be killed any time, you are the lucky one."

"I didn't asked for this shit to happen," Izaya hissed darkly.

"I just want to make sure you understand me now."

"I…" Izaya hesitated. That was, that was just "_bullshit_."

Tsugaru narrowed his eyes. "You, a person that doesn't make mistakes, surprisingly gets injured, your mood fluctuates unexpectedly, your REM sleep is haunted, you get big headaches, you have small lapses of unawareness, and you get sick often. Those are the symptoms of the changes that are occurring in you. Also you probably have had moments when thoughts filled your mind, but you didn't have any intention whatsoever to think about them. Or speak words you never thought about."

Izaya shook his head. Everything he'd done until now had been someone else's thoughts? He didn't want to believe _or_ understand.

"Your mind will develop a certain brain capability. If I should pick a name for it, it would be Psychokinesis. However, the intensity of that ability has been restrained by me. I couldn't stop the process completely. I apologize."

"Stop. Just stop and shut up," Izaya said, walking up to his bedroom.

Tsugaru followed him. "Your problem is that you're too hermetic, you don't let people in, and that's why I have to monitor you."

"Great. So you're a fucking alien stalker?"

"I prefer extraterrestrial. It's very complicated to define our existence, because we existed before and after your race. The time and space is just a form for the likes of you for us to seize."

Izaya took the first thing in his closet and changed. "A moment… that 'Doctor' from before…?" Izaya didn't want to remember.

"Yes, he's one of my underlings. It was a suitable moment to make a check up on you."

"You are unbelievable! Have you set tapping devices on my house? !"

"Something like that…" Tsugaru tried to change the topic. "Also, about that monster you saw in your dream… it is an abnormality. It's a mutation of Izaya-kun's abilities. Don't worry, it can't reach you in any way. That dream is just a part of Izaya-kun's nature."

"I don't care." Izaya said, hustling down.

"You want to pretend that everything is OK, don't you?" Tsugaru said passing him and stopping his retreat.

"I don't want to be infected with this poisonous talk." Izaya took the handle of the front door of his apartment.

Tsugaru wrapped his arms around him. "I will not hurt you. You know it. You can feel it, right? You feel the sensation. Don't you?"

Izaya was silent.

"Orihara-san… I think you should look at yourself in the mirror…"

•••••

**2:59 a.m.**

Shizuo couldn't sleep. He simply couldn't. Not after what he did. Not after what they did.

He wasn't thinking.

Shizuo could still taste Izaya in his mouth.

He didn't know how the hell they kissed. Or how the hell it ended. Izaya just pulled away, saying that he had somewhere to go. Shizuo didn't stop him that time, and Shizuo didn't know what to do. He growled to himself, watching heavy rain fall incessantly, covering the whole city. The next thing he knew was that there was an incessant knock at the main door. Frowning, Shizuo stood and walked to the door. The noisy storm wasn't stopping; neither was the time.

Shizuo was beyond surprised.

Before him, a soaked raven-haired man stood. The rain had no mercy.

Izaya opened his mouth to speak but the words were stuck. "I… I'm… sorry…" He shook his head and turned to walk away.

Shizuo grasped his hand, frowning at how cold Izaya's skin was. "Sorry for what?" Was Izaya turning him down? For what he was he turning him down in first place? ! Shit!

"For coming so late."

"…" Shizuo felt like slapping himself.

"…I should…" Izaya tugged his hand but Shizuo didn't let go.

"You came from your house to Ikebukuro…? With this rain?" Shizuo felt Izaya's hand shaking, his entire body was. At that point Shizuo didn't know if it was from the cold or from something else.

"…" After a moment, Izaya tugged his hand, and Shizuo yanked him inside his apartment in response.

Shizuo locked the door behind them.

"Don't move," Shizuo said and went to his room.

When the blond came back, Izaya was still standing in the doorway. Shizuo covered Izaya's head with a towel, and stroked the towel over his head.

"Would you tell me what the hell is going on?"

"…" Izaya didn't answer because Shizuo… he was like a gentle breeze, his very presence alone was soothing.

"Hey," Shizuo stopped briefly, lowering his face to Izaya's.

Izaya laughed without meaning it. "I… I've…I really… I should just disappear…"

Shizuo looked at Izaya's face, getting closer. "I don't know what happened but-" The gap between their lips ended. Shizuo took a hold of Izaya's nape while their kiss deepened.

Lips crashed again and again, hands roamed over wet clothes, over cold skin. Hands gripped clothes helplessly. Space and time stopped.

Their breathing was heavy "-stop spouting gibberish."

Shizuo attacked Izaya's lips again while his body pushed him to the bedroom. It was mayhem of mixed feelings. What they were doing wasn't white or black, just a blurry gray. Maybe they were doing this for whole different reasons, or perhaps they were just thinking of excuses to do it. Either way, Shizuo just wanted to wipe that sad face off of Izaya.

They undressed.

They kissed.

They wanted… _needed_ to be so much closer… closer than that.

•••••

**3:35 a.m.**

Our destination…

Is heaven…

Or hell…?

•To Be Continued•

**A/N:** Everything cleared out! But so many things happened! Enjoy the drama~

**Important:** I promised an one-shot rated M. It's an interconnected one-shot with the end of this chapter. It's called "Pure & Easy". If you want to read it please click my profile.

PD: Celty was right. Macha (the cat) is an alien (lol)


	12. Chapter 12

Recap:

…Shizuo attacked Izaya's lips again while his body pushed him to the bedroom. It was mayhem of mixed feelings. What they were doing wasn't white or black, just a blurry gray. Maybe they were doing this for whole different reasons, or perhaps they were just thinking of excuses to do it. Either way, Shizuo just wanted to wipe that sad face off of Izaya.

They undressed.

They kissed.

They wanted… _needed_ to be so much closer…

•Hanging by a moment•

Flashes of last night were passing through his eyes; the lingering sensation of skin pressing against skin was still printed in his mind, the gentle reminiscence of fingertips tracing the outline of curves and bones still drummed into his flesh, the memory of sounds that he had never heard before haunted his peace, and the yearning of hope for those moments to never shatter ached in his heart.

The rain hadn't stopped at all.

Shizuo looked through his window while re-arranging the shirt over his shoulders. It didn't seem like a normal morning, he sighed. Shizuo felt troubled, in a sense. He wasn't really troubled by his problems. No, what he was worried about were someone else's problems. Izaya's.

The sky was shadowed by a large dark cover engulfing the city, a turbulent omen...

Shizuo didn't actually know what problems Izaya had, or, if he had problems, in reality. But he knew what kind of life Izaya had been living, so part of him wasn't so surprised. However, the fact that that so-called problem had made Izaya make a face like that last night worried him.

With a frown, Shizuo recalled how Izaya wasn't crying, but seemed about to cry. Izaya wasn't shedding tears, but he saw them. He _was_ crying… Humans can cry in different ways other than just tears.

They haven't really spoken since last night. Heck, neither of them had time for sleep. Shizuo was flushed and mildly confused. Mildly confused because only a part of his mind was _subtly_ thinking about that little issue itself. And by issue, he meant to have slept with his enemy, non-friend and eternal rival.

Yeah.

Izaya.

'Calm_Calm_Calm_. _Calm. Calm down. Calm down, breathe... Peace,' Shizuo thought, trying to mitigate the anxiousness boiling in his chest.

They _did it_.

Shizuo could still feel it, he could still see it, he could still hear it−

Shizuo refrained from thinking more because someone had been observing him for a while now. A pair of lidded eyes, a face half covered by white sheets, disheveled black hair adorning the pillows: it was an absolutely endearing sight.

Shizuo didn't quite know how he got on the edge of the bed, or how his hands were immediately caressing the back of the raven's head, or how his body reacted so naturally with him.

But he did.

"Hey..." Shizuo said softly, hovering a bit more over Izaya. His body weighed down onto the mattress.

Izaya wasn't looking at Shizuo anymore. As soon as the blond touched his hair, Izaya closed his eyes, losing his senses into the caress. Izaya gripped the sheets, nuzzling lightly.

Although Shizuo didn't want to disturb the other to some extent, he still had to ask, "Hey… Izaya… I need to talk to you…"

There was no response.

It was more difficult than he had thought, even more so if he was feeling a bit conscious about their situation. Nonetheless, Shizuo tried again, "…um, Izaya where is your cast? I thought you'd use it a week more…?" Open the topic with something simple, Shizuo planned.

The silence was gaining a personality.

There were a few more moments of silence and Shizuo was going to try to ask again, when out of nowhere he was yanked downward. Shizuo was forced to crush the smaller man underneath him with his much larger body.

Izaya had a dead lock with his arms around Shizuo's neck.

It was a wordless request.

"Oi! Wa-wait! I'm pretty heavy, you know? !" Shizuo's face was burning. Izaya just squeezed harder.

Shizuo was quite confused. Nevertheless, he stayed still, with his face burning and his heart racing. The blond was at a loss as to what to do.

"…-_terday_…" Izaya said, barely sounding like a whisper.

Shizuo moved away and Izaya squeezed in response. "Easy, I'm just…" Shizuo moved in a more comfortable position, "What did you say?" Shizuo asked, like a kindergarten teacher to a three year old kid.

The silence laughed in Shizuo's face.

"…-took it off yesterday…" was another mumble, but Shizuo understood it.

"Oh, was it Shinra?" Shizuo asked.

Izaya's brow pursed, and angrily buried his face in Shizuo's chest. '_It was Tsugaru.'_ Izaya thought.

Shizuo was mildly confused by the sudden action and the lack of response. "…you didn't tell me wh-Ow! Ow! Ow! What was that for? !" Shizuo complained. "You bit me!"

"Quiet…" Izaya said.

"What? !" Shizuo was frustrated, and the frustration leads to aggression, which leads to misinterpretations, but luckily Shizuo restrained his feelings as he heard Izaya saying, "…please…?"

With that single word, Izaya blew out any traces of Shizuo's thoughts.

•••••

No good. It was no good. Shizuo was struggling mentally. 'I have to go.' Shizuo was really regretting having that strong sense of morals. Though, that sense of morals was only applied when it had to do with his work, related to Tom and his family and friends. That sense of morals was conveniently avoided or mutilated when he was trashing people around the city.

Either way, Shizuo had work to do with Tom-san and couldn't stay with Izaya for any longer.

'Can I ask the day off…?' Shizuo shook his head lightly.

He couldn't, just couldn't. Shizuo sighed in resignation and tried to stand but the dead lock Izaya had around his neck had been stopping him. Thinking for a moment, Shizuo got an idea. Reaching for one of his pillows, Shizuo set it between them, and slowly he detached the arms, setting them around the fortunate piece of fabric.

Shizuo was free and watched with mild disappointment as his spot was easily filled with an inanimate object.

A pillow jealousy had never been heard of before, had it?

Shizuo got ready as fast as he could, doing several things more, like picking up Izaya's clothes and bringing them to the laundry area. When he was ready, he stopped in the doorframe of his room, fidgeting lightly with the thought of saying good-bye to Izaya and to let him know he was going. The mere thought was eating him alive in a sort of gigantic blush. Izaya moved lightly and Shizuo ran to the main door, getting out in record time.

Shizuo ran away from his own home. Shizuo wanted to avoid the awkwardness as much as possible. However, he was well aware that he had to talk. Sooner or later he would have to confront Izaya.

'Yeah, but not right now,' Shizuo thought, slowing down and looking ahead.

•••••

Izaya was in a deep sleep. He was calm, comfortable, content, and very sleepy. The quietness of the room stopped as a familiar ringtone killed the silence.

Izaya stirred and fought to wake up. The rings didn't stop. With an eye open, he spotted his cell phone on the nightstand beside the bed. He reached for it and answered it.

"Yes?" Izaya was far too sleepy to do a proper greeting. As soon as Izaya heard the reply on the other line, he hung up the call harshly.

In the next second, his cell phone was ringing again.

Izaya didn't pick it up but didn't turned it off. After a moment, instead of a call, he received a message.

[We have to talk.]

Izaya texted back with scorn. [No, we don't. In fact, go die in a hole.]

[I'm glad you haven't lost your sense of humor, suddenly disappearing in the night. I was really worried about you, you know?]

Izaya read the text but didn't reply back.

[Orihara-san, we have to talk. I know you are very anxious because of what we had talked about yesterday. But rest assured, I mean no harm to you. However, if you don't listen to me, your ability will probably be a danger for yourself and the ones around you.]

[I'm not anxious. I just want to cut your throat and watch you choke with your own blood. ;P]

[I am sorry, but I cannot fulfill that wish, not for now.]

Izaya frowned at the last words, [What do you mean by 'not for now'?]

[If you want to know about it, come to see me. I promise to answer any questions you have.]

Izaya struggled to write down what he wanted. [I don't want to see you.]

[I'm sorry if I'm making you uncomfortable. But what I am asking is for your own good. Please bear with me a little longer, the faster you learn about your ability, the faster you'll have your life back. I won't trouble you anymore after that. What do you say?]

Izaya was texting his reply when a new message arrived. [Let's make a deal. I'll give you two days to settle your thoughts. After that time, I'll pick you up. You don't need to answer me, I'll be the one calling you. Farewell, honey :)]

After a long time of thinking, Izaya texted back one message with just one word: [Thanks.]

Izaya sighed deeply.

'You let me run away, didn't you? Liar. Saying that I'll have my life back… there's no turning back at this point…' Izaya thought, covering his entire body with a blanket. 'Idiot... I don't want to think about it…' Izaya glared at nothing in particular, grinding his teeth.

He could just leave it like that, right? He was feeling overwhelmed by everything. Besides, he still has two days... In the back of his mind he knew that more things he didn't want to think about were piling and piling.

Izaya growled, gripping the sheets and burying his face in the pillow.

He really didn't want to think about Tsugaru, or what he did with Shizuo last night.

•••••

Tom was contemplative. With an air of solemnity, he watched his employee fidget around with a lightly flushed face. Even though Shizuo had his cigarette in hand, he wasn't smoking. Was this a new phase of Shizuo's? Tom was curious about it; this was the first time Shizuo looked satisfied, worried, confused, annoyed and thoughtful all at the same time. Tom was dying to know who did that to Shizuo, because though he looked full with thoughts, he seemed happy.

"Shizuo, let's go grab a bite," Tom said, leading the way to the Russian Sushi. Shizuo followed him. They got to the restaurant in a few minutes. They were waiting for their order, while outside the sky was falling apart. The rain just worsened with time.

"He looks like a power ranger, I tell you! The strawberry has been degraded! I want the old version, we, fans want it!"

Three new people entered the establishment.

"Eeeh? No, I don't think so. It's more like Claymore. However, we still yet have to know what his new powers are~. Speaking of which, there was a sexual tension between Ichichi and Gin-chan when they were training in the game, wasn't there~?"

"An order of tiramisu! And if you have Alex-san working in the back, send her here please~. How infuriating is that, don't you think, Karisawa-san? That Alex-san is in love with that tagged man? And he doesn't even acknowledge her! Alex-san should be more assertive, like Seira-chan~ I would love to be chopped with her scythe any time~."

"…Yumakicchi, are you ignoring my question?" Erika asked. "I feel like Gil-chan… ufufufu, the new chapter of PH couldn't be more blunt about the love Gil has for Oz~. Though, I would love to see Gil undressing Oz in the middle of the street… No! In any place is fine!" Erika's eyes were shining, while Yumasaki seemed disgusted, Togusa had already taken a seat and Kadota was nowhere to be seen.

Shizuo didn't pay attention to the duo because he was thinking profusely, yet without thinking. It was hard to define the fact that he was thinking about something, yet completely forgetting about it afterward. He was so submerged in his musing, that he didn't notice Kadota until he called his name.

"Shizuo," Kadota wore a hardheaded expression. "I have to talk with you… in private…."

•••••

The rain hit the city, drops covering the buildings, dressing them with transparent wet clothes. Water splashed underneath their shoes as their feet walked ahead to an unknown destination. Shizuo wore a light frown while he followed Kadota.

Kadota stopped lightly and looked around; there weren't many passers-by. He turned around, and with the same serious expression as before, spoke to Shizuo.

"Sorry to have dragged you all the way here, but I didn't want the others to hear this conversation."

Shizuo nodded lightly, the frown still marring his features.

Kadota scratched the back of his head with one hand, while holding his umbrella with the other. "Shizuo… I saw you… yesterday…" Shizuo didn't understand the ambiguity of those words.

With a resigned sigh, Kadota spoke again, "I saw you with Izaya…"

Shizuo stilled subtly. "Oh."

"Yeah…" Both males looked away, embarrassed for different reasons.

"What, what are you doing?" Kadota asked, again, the serious expression placed.

For some reason, Shizuo got defensive. "What do you mean?"

Kadota's brow wrinkled lightly. "You, with Izaya… What are you planning to do to him?"

Shizuo held his umbrella with one hand, while his other hand searched the pack of cigarettes in his pocket. "I don't know what are you saying, Kadota."

It wasn't any of his business.

And he wasn't planning anything, and, things to do, they have already done them. Shizuo shook his head lightly, trying to erase the images that his desires were craving for. He lit the cigarette, taking a drag.

Kadota breathed out, obviously uncomfortable with the situation that he, himself, had created. "Look, I know it shouldn't be any of my business, but you're my friend and also it is Izaya…"

That was questionable in some aspects.

Shizuo nodded lightly, dragging more smoke, filling his lungs with nicotine.

"So… stop whatever you are doing…. That shouldn't be..." Kadota looked straight into Shizuo's eyes. But the shelter which was provided by his blue glasses stopped any kind of interpretation.

Shizuo stood still with the cigarette dying in his mouth.

Many tormenting thoughts were revolving in his mind. For example, the fact he didn't know. He didn't know what he did, he wasn't planning anything, it was made in the spur of the moment. But, what kind of right did Kadota have to say that to him? Just because he was the ex? How much power does that title hold? Exactly, none.

Shizuo was getting annoyed by the fact that some part of him was agreeing with Kadota's words. But he, Shizuo, and Izaya, them−

Shizuo crunched the cigarette under his shoe. "You're right. It is none of your business." He turned around.

Kadota wasn't deterred, though, he knew he was stepping onto mined ground. "You're not even his friend, Shizuo. What are you expecting? It isn't like you all at to-"

"I can ask you the same thing, why are you asking me this?" –_ordering me to stop doing something you don't even know about_− "What the hell do you want?"

"I don't want you to hurt him," Kadota said simply.

Shizuo wanted to laugh. "Don't you think that's a little late? I've fought with him for years."

Kadota spoke in an even tone, "I didn't mean physically."

The only sound was the drips of water hitting the ground around them.

"Bye, Kadota." Shizuo walked away.

Kadota sighed but said nonetheless, "Think about the consequences…"

•••••

Shizuo was getting better in holding back his anger. However, the street-signs didn't agree with that. The ground was torn apart, concrete shattering into millions of pieces. The metal was crunched under Shizuo's palm as if it were made of paper. Like always, his muscles screamed in pain; like always, some of his bones cracked; like always, that red mist full of wrath blinded his eyes.

He panted, he couldn't breathe, he was suffocating from his feelings, it was always the same…

He growled, smashing his fist downwards, destroying everything in its path, "I don't give a shit about consequences!"

−Just try to cover the sun with a finger…

•••••

As the routine ordered, after the wreckage left, Shizuo felt like scum. His head throbbed with all the hot blood that had rushed up to his head. He almost got a fit back there. He rubbed his temples, trying to mitigate the discomfort, and holding the keys of his apartment, he unlocked the door. He shut it, quite roughly, afterward. He was in a bad mood.

Shizuo needed sugar.

His head was a mess, but was clear enough to know how to make chocolate. Shizuo had just prepared a mug of hot chocolate, trying to forget about everything he'd done in the afternoon, when the next thing he knew was that Izaya was at the doorframe, covered in a blanket and with a glassed gaze looking at him sleepily.

Just like that, Shizuo's routine of self-loathing died.

Shizuo's surprised stare obviously showed the fact that he hadn't expected Izaya to still be there. The thoughts and questions that had been piling in his mind throughout the day threatened to come out and be released, and would have been that way if it wasn't for the fact that his eyes were too occupied devouring Izaya's expression to care about that insignificant problem.

Izaya dragging the blanket over, threw his body unceremoniously onto Shizuo, who, for the wonders of the universe, wasn't holding the mug of hot chocolate.

"W-Whoa!" Shizuo exclaimed when Izaya, on top of the half-tackle, tangled his legs around his, hands wandering over his body, rubbing fabric and skin and finally settling securely around his torso. Izaya buried his face in Shizuo's chest and drifted to sleep in mere seconds.

To say that Shizuo was shocked was an understatement.

The silence only made the scene look more out of place. Only the misfortunate rain provided a little comfort for Shizuo, who was still fully awake. Shizuo could only stare at the thing on top of him.

'Dammit, what am I doing?' Though he asked that in his head, his hands were already traveling down, fingertips already seeking soft flesh.

•••••

It's a wonder… does this mean that one of them finally caved in? Do the heights of ecstasy lie ahead? Or nothing but the depths of despair?

Well, for them the important part was to enjoy the moment.

•To Be Continued•

**A/N:** I have mentioned the graphic novels of: Bleach, Noblesse, Claymore, Gangsta and Pandora's Heart.

Mehhh, Izaya doesn't blush as much as Shizuo does ~_~ and I said that Ichigo looked like a power ranger because my cousin said it when I showed her the new chapter of the manga and I was WTF? And then :o I can use that *bwahaha* lol.

X3 please, don't hate Dotachin ;A; he's awesome, you can't hate him xD besides even though he doesn't know it, he's helping Shizuo and Izaya LOL.

Izaya is a little jewel :p Kadota knows that and Shizuo is realizing about it slowly XOXO

Can you guess what's Izaya thinking?

PD: Thank you for all your reviews, it helps me, it does ^^. The fun starts now!


	13. Chapter 13

Recap:

…Izaya dragging the blanket over, threw his body unceremoniously onto Shizuo, who, for the wonders of the universe, wasn't holding the mug of hot chocolate.

"W-Whoa!"Shizuo exclaimed when Izaya, on top of the half-tackle, tangled his legs around his, hands wandering over his body, rubbing fabric and skin and finally settling securely around his torso. Izaya buried his face in Shizuo's chest and drifted to sleep in mere seconds.

To say that Shizuo was shocked was an understatement.

The silence only made the scene look more out of place. Only the misfortunate rain provided a little comfort for Shizuo, who was still fully awake. Shizuo could only stare at the thing on top of him.

'Dammit, what am I doing?' Though he asked that in his head, his hands were already traveling down, fingertips already seeking soft flesh.

•Undone emotions•

_Pig_, Shizuo thought with light spirit. _I'm a pig_. His hands idly fondled Izaya's thighs, while his eyes darted to the raven's face, the gap between their bodies closing with every second that passed. _Your body is moving on its own, it's just a natural reaction_, a part of his mind tried to excuse him. It was no use; Shizuo had stopped hearing that microscopic, languid voice a long time ago in order to listen to a much more powerful voice that screamed, _Touch him! Get more! Kiss him! Start! Make him yours! Steal his breath!_

It was so quiet inside the apartment. It was so noisy inside their heads. They were back to _it_, even though it was made by common consent, approved by both parties, Shizuo couldn't help but think, _I'm a dirty pig_, as his body pinned the smaller down, taking his lips, his skin, his breath, and his will to fight back.

This started a few hours ago… but everything started a few weeks ago…

•••••

Shizuo stared and stared. And stared some more. The stare was so solemn and equally bewildered, solely focused on Izaya, who was on top of him. Only recently had Shizuo had the privilege to see other faces and habits of the raven-haired man closely. Though, he wasn't so sure if it was okay in the first place, because Shizuo didn't know if the increasing rate of his heartbeat was a good or bad thing. Setting that aside, Shizuo was undecided as to what to do.

Only a few minutes had passed since Izaya had _launched_ at him, but Shizuo's mind had stormed with so many thoughts about the situation he was in that his brain had been, officially, liquefied. Shizuo trailed his gaze to Izaya's face. At some point during Shizuo's scrutiny, his left hand began to stroke Izaya's hair. 'It's soft,' he thought. His fingertips were traveling across smoothness until one of his fingers grazed an imperfection.

On Izaya's forehead, a small scar was hidden by the disheveled hair. It was the scar Kadota had talked about the other time. With a slight frown, Shizuo brushed away the hair. He remembered it, too, that time on the school's rooftop. It wasn't a pleasant memory. The blood, the limp bodies, Kadota's angry face... How many scars could Izaya have on his body? With such thoughts, Shizuo planned a mission of recognition over Izaya's body when the realization hit him hard.

First of all, Shizuo finally realized that Izaya was wearing one of his shirts. An overly big, white shirt. A loose, sinful shirt. The baggy shirt probably reached the middle of Izaya's thighs. But once again, another revelation occurred. Was Izaya wearing something _down there too, _or not? Shizuo gulped, but like a brave warrior, he lifted the sheet, with what kind of purpose? Warriors do not need to ponder about meaningless details!

Shizuo's boxers were peeking out under the white shirt, and above Izaya's skin, it seemed that the teddy bears were smirking. Should Shizuo be relieved or be disappointed? Shizuo couldn't decide yet.

Izaya shifted, complaining lightly. Shizuo was only able to stare in silence as Izaya's body rubbed against him. Shizuo was only able to stay still as Izaya climbed sluggishly over him with drowsy eyes. Shizuo was only able to hug back as Izaya wrapped his arm around his neck and buried his nose in the crook of it.

Shizuo's face was burning.

•••••

This was invading their beings like a disease…

"Hey, you okay?" Shizuo asked with concern, a frown marring his features.

Izaya was silent, his head lightly dangling forward; he wasn't able to get rid of his sleepiness entirely. Izaya tried to focus his sight, but he wasn't looking at anything in particular, so he decided to look at his hands, which were placed on a blue fabric. Izaya narrowed his gaze. He knew that waistcoat. Trailing his eyes upward, he saw a loose necktie. Izaya was about to reach a conclusion when his head was jerked up. Shizuo's eyes pierced Izaya's soul with one look.

"I asked if you're okay." Shizuo wore a stern gaze. "So?" A few moments before, Izaya had all of a sudden begun to move restlessly, and soon after he'd woken, pushing his body up from Shizuo harshly.

Izaya was still surprised and slightly confused. A couple of seconds after, Izaya tried to remove Shizuo's hands from his face, with not so much success, and scowled, rather cutely, at Shizuo.

"So?" Shizuo asked again, not without that touch of amusement in his tone.

Izaya's scowl deepened, and almost threatened to become a pout, but only to Shizuo's eyes… apparently.

"I'm fine," Izaya finally spoke through clenched teeth. "Let go."

"No," was Shizuo's flat answer.

"Excuse me?" Izaya couldn't help but feel a bit shocked. "It's _my_ face."

"So?" Shizuo's amusement was growing.

However, Izaya, instead of shouting a few well deserved insults, stared at Shizuo's face inquisitively.

"Detach your appendages from my face, now."

"I don't wanna."

"…" Izaya sighed and−

"Ow!"

−Tugged Shizuo's hair with both of his hands. _Hard_.

"Hey! Sthmph!"Shizuo couldn't even complain, as Izaya bound his lips with his. In a flash Izaya pulled Shizuo closer, invading his mouth with his tongue, his body pressing in a different way against Shizuo. The intruder in Shizuo's mouth licked his inner lip, and his teeth nipped it lightly, sending shivers down Shizuo's spine. At some point, their hands were roaming everywhere. At some point, they gasped for air. At some point, they become one again.

This was invading their beings like a disease… it was pandemic.

•••••

[I didn't expect you to call so soon.]

"I need to overstep this sickening depressing stage. I won't play the victim again."

[That's your way of saying that you don't want to lose any more control, am I right? You don't need to answer that. Certainly, by doing what I say you'll be in charge again. However, I haven't said that it's easy to reach that phase, Orihara-san.]

"I haven't expected anything less, _Tsu-chan_…"

[You are angry, I see. You can punch me if you want.]

"I'd prefer to carve you up and let you bathe in acid~."

[That can't be.]

"I'll take the offer, then."

[By the way, where are you at this hour ? It's past midnight.]

"Nowhere."

[…You saw something again, didn't you?]

"…"

[Tell me where you are, I'll go right now.]

"I don't need-"

[Stop being so stubborn.]

"…Ikebukuro's park… and I didn't see something… I dreamed about it…"

•••••

Izaya found himself floating in dark ink. The liquid was staining his pale skin. He wanted to swim and reach the shore, but his strength was drained. He was just floating aimlessly through the black sea of nothingness. Izaya was feeling oddly resigned. Certainty had turned its back to him and Chance was playing with his fate. Was there someone to blame? Oh, yeah, there were many fools to blame, but he really didn't care about the past.

"I just want to love… humans again…" Izaya spoke to no one in particular. He raised his hand with an enormous effort and looked at it with an empty gaze. "But I'm not a human anymore."

He didn't sigh, he didn't scream, he didn't get angry or sad. Izaya just stared at his right hand.

"Oh, hey, you shaped-person," a voice said from behind him. But Izaya didn't attempt to turn around. He was so engrossed that he didn't notice when his body was pulled to the shore.

"Heeeyyyy," the voice spoke again, "are you dead?"

Izaya didn't answer.

"Your hand must be pretty cool, huh." The voice was getting exasperating, for some reason. "I know how you feel; I love my tongue, it's my pride, it's the reddest tongue you would ever see, wanna see?"

Izaya frowned. The first reaction in who knows how long.

"Though, I'm also in love with my eyes. The reddest eyes you would ever see in your life. I've been told that that's how the depths of hell look like, wanna see?"

Izaya rolled over to his right and looked at the crouched man.

"But you know, the thing I love the most in me is my heart. The blackest thing you would ever see in any life," the man smiled. "Wanna see?" Out of nowhere, the man pulled out a knife, ready to tear open his chest.

"Who are you?" Izaya asked, successfully stopping the man's actions. "Are you another one of my hallucinations? Or one of those bastard's friends?" Izaya didn't seem bothered in the slightest by the knife, or the rarity called man in front of him.

"I don't know who this bastard you're talking about is, but you really are something! You didn't freak out for everything I've told you! And I'm- MY GOD!" The man exclaimed, "You're hurt!" He pointed at Izaya's chest.

"Huh?" Izaya looked at his chest, but there wasn't anything. "I'm not hurt."

"Yes, you are. You're hurt. There, a bit above your heart. The love is leaking out. Uh-huh, uh-huh, ohh, but wait, it seems to be getting repaired, oh, no, no, no, wait. Never mind, I got confused, I need a new pair of spectacles. With my age, a rage-leaking is the same as a love-leaking." The man sighed lightly. "I need to stop lying. That's a habit of mine, yes, like you've noticed my eyes are green, my tongue is blue and my heart is, eh? Wait, I don't have a heart to begin with! Silly of me, I forgot." The man chuckled. "Ah! Wait! That's not the way!"

Izaya was walking away.

"You shaped-person! There's not the way! He's waiting on the other side!"

"Why would I believe you? You're a liar, you told me yourself."

"Ah! But that's different! I'm a liar about myself! But I don't lie about anyone else! And he's waiting for you!"

"Whatever." Izaya walked in the opposite direction the man spoke of.

Some time after, not quite sure how long, Izaya found himself surrounded by red trees on a hill with white grass. Besides the gigantic red trees, there was no one else. Or so he thought. Ahead of him a battle was being unfolded. Men were running throughout the field, bullets were flying, piercing their way inside the bodies of the soldiers. The sounds were deafening: the bullets, the cries of sorrow of the trees, the shouts of pain of the fallen ones; all of it was presented before Izaya's eyes. But he wasn't moving, he was just gazing ahead. His common sense was yelling at him to move away, but even though he was thinking that, he couldn't move. Instead, he walked towards the battle field.

There was no reason to do that, but there's no such a thing as reason in a dream, right?

Yeah, right...

Bullets were flying in his way. And before he could even breathe, he was yanked sideways. Izaya stumbled and almost fell to the ground if wasn't for a hand firmly grasping his arm. The noise slowly faded down, Izaya looked at the gloved hand and trailed his gaze upwards. Izaya could hear the silence loud and clear. The person who grasped his arm was wearing a mask, like the ones used in nuclear disasters. The surface of the mask was black, but instead of covering his entire face, the right side was open, showing his eye and his long eyelashes.

The man let go of Izaya's arm, throwing his machine gun onto the white grass. He began to remove his mask. Izaya watched the man's appearance. His neck was wrapped in bandages, he wore a red uniform and his nails were black.

The mask fell.

The man stared at Izaya, speaking in a dark tone, "Get out of here, _now_."

•••••

"Then, I woke up…" Izaya said. "Do you know him?"

"No, I don't. But he seems to be on your side." Tsugaru frowned lightly. "You're an oddity, how can you evolve so fast?"

"I don't like being called an _oddity _by an _alien_," Izaya spat angrily.

Tsugaru sighed, "I told you I'm an alien because it's the best term to describe my existence, but I see it was a mistake to use that. Maybe I should have called myself a Spear or Time-traveler or something."

"Can I punch you now?" Izaya asked cheerfully.

"No, not yet. We haven't finished talking," Tsugaru replied in an even tone. "I told you that you're more likely to adapt or evolve a latent mind ability. Well, Psychokinesis is the umbrella term for various related specialty abilities, which may include Telekinesis, Teleportation, Phasing, Metamorphosis, Thoughtform, etc. However, we don't know what kind of ability you can possess. So, if you don't mind, I would like to do a few tests."

"Whatever, the sooner we end this the better… Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh, nothing…" Then Tsugaru muttered to himself, "I was just appreciating the love-bite of a vampire on your neck."

Shizuo hadn't held back, had he?

•••••

A line of smoke ascended up to the gray sky, twirling its tail and finally smearing into the nonexistent color of the air.

Shizuo's body was present down on earth, but his mind was beyond the realm of reality. So he really wasn't paying attention to his current situation. His boss, Tom, was talking with a middle aged man: they were recollecting his debt.

Shizuo looked up to the gray sky, hearing the man's bickering but not really paying attention to it.

Shizuo's mind had been like this, according to Tom's record, since three weeks ago.

And damn, Shizuo had all the right to feel like that. It was Izaya's fault. First, out of nowhere, he came to his house in the middle of the night, and then they did _that_. The next day, after a horrible day, Shizuo found Izaya still in his house and that little mouse tackled him! And what happened after? Shizuo got sexually harassed! (Kind of.) That's what happened! But that's not all! Then after _that_, like a mouse (really like a mouse), Izaya sneaked off, again, in the middle of the night without Shizuo's notice!

Shizuo's senses came back to reality when, far away, in the back of his mind, he registered Tom's concerned words, the cries of fear of his debtor and the feeling of his own nails digging into his palms.

"Shizuo, you can take the rest of the day off." Tom scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

Shizuo apologized lightly and left the place.

As he walked with his head in the clouds, something buzzed against his legs. Shizuo flipped open his cell phone, absentmindedly, of course.

[Don't turn around :3] the text message said.

Shizuo turned around immediately but there wasn't anyone. Shizuo felt a soft tapping on his back. He stilled and turned around slowly.

"I told you to not turn around, didn't I?" Izaya grinned. "Hi~."

How could he do it? Be able to blow his mind with just a few words. How could he make Shizuo feel anxious and relieved? How could he feign everything was the same? Why and how did the knot in Shizuo's throat disappear?

In despite of everything, Shizuo was still angry. Without any doubt, proof of it was the smashing sound that went throughout the alley. A part of the building's wall crumbled against his fists. He had barely avoided Izaya's face. And the culprit of everything was just standing there, almost innocently, smiling like there was no tomorrow.

Izaya smiled, smiled and smiled. Even though his face was in between two dangerous arms, trapped between an angry blond and a crumbling wall.

"Why are you smiling?" Shizuo broke the silence, his body cornering Izaya against the wall.

The corners of Izaya's smile lifted a bit more.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Shizuo dropped some of his frustration into that question. With those words, he asked what was he thinking, what was he feeling, what was he doing with him.

A rush of hot blood flowed into Shizuo's face as he noticed what his position had become. His hands were no longer fists; instead, his palms were supporting his weight and his body was slightly bent, but the hug Izaya was giving him and the fact that he was standing on the tip of his toes to reach his neck was what most shocked him, in a good way.

"Damn, you're too tall."

That comment snapped the little control Shizuo had over the situation and over himself.

Shizuo provoked those lips; challenging the pink tongue to fight back, and recollected those sweet noises for his heart's content. His hands pulled the smaller closer, not wasting time to inspect every inch of soft skin available. Shizuo was behaving like an addict. He wanted more, he _needed_ more. More of those lips, more of those sounds; Shizuo needed to feel more of his skin and his smell.

"Let's go to my place…"

Shizuo was gravitating hopelessly towards Izaya.

•To Be Continued•

**A/N:** If you squint really hard you would see that the dream is quite revelator with Izaya's nature. That piece if filled with several elements, it can't be defined as a dream, or another world, or delusion, or simple stress, not entirely anyway. I think Shizuo is a man of boxers. The teddy bears are included. LOL. I love Aggressive!Izaya, quite a lot actually, *grin*.

When Shizuo asked why was Izaya smiling, Izaya didn't answer but he was smiling because he got to see him again :D The long wait for this chapter was worth it...Right? Tell me I'm not wrong... D:

Btw, the beginning of the chapter is the end of this chapter in reality (lol) just saying (lol).


	14. Chapter 14

Absence from whom we love is worse than death, and frustrates hopes severer than despair. –William Cowper.

•••••

Recap:

"Damn, you're too tall."

That comment snapped the little control Shizuo had over the situation and over himself.

Shizuo provoked those lips; challenging the pink tongue to fight back, and recollected those sweet noises for his heart's content. His hands pulled the smaller closer, not wasting time to inspect every inch of soft skin available. Shizuo was behaving like an addict. He wanted more, he _needed_ more. More of those lips, more of those sounds; Shizuo needed to feel more of his skin and his smell.

"Let's go to my place…"

Shizuo was gravitating hopelessly towards Izaya.

•Etched reality•

**{**Now for breaking news. Yesterday, on the Yamanote subway line, at 10:15, the emergency brakes of the train cars were pushed before they could reach the next station in Takadanobaba. Seconds after, what apparently seemed to be an explosion in the electrical system occurred, enabling all the system's directions in the trains. Thirty-two people in all were sent to a hospital with minor injuries for medical care. The cause of the explosion is still unknown; the police force is still looking for a suspect...**}**

The TV was on, but he wasn't paying attention to the news of the city. Shizuo just wanted to fill the silence with noise.

**{**…Hanejima Yuuhei is going to perform the sequel of his most recent movie with the participation of Hijiribe Ruri, the location…**}**

Shizuo did hear the news of his brother coming to the city. But as soon as the news of his brother was over, he stayed in some sort of reverie, aloof to the voices of the reporters.

**{**…An announcement has come from the Keishichō city police station. Hours ago, a rough fire was started by unknown causes in Shinjuku Central Park. The office workers, who were still inside the buildings, and passers-by were witnesses of the spontaneous blazing of the trees. The flames were spreading only to the highest points of the trees. This is another one of the inexplicable fires that had been set around the centre of the metropolitan area in these past few weeks. Fortunately, rain showers fell across the foliage, resulting in a decreased activity on the three fires. However, this may be an act of terrorism−**}**

The TV was suddenly turned off.

Alone.

He felt more alone than he'd ever felt before.

Shizuo had woken up alone again in the morning two weeks ago. Sleeping with someone in the night and waking up alone was suddenly beginning to become a routine. Shizuo didn't appreciate it very much. It was already night when Shizuo came back from work. He kicked his shoes off, loosened his necktie and unbuttoned his shirt, after removing his waistcoat.

He just felt like he had all the right in the world to do nothing.

The icy silence was still present, though; he shouldn't have turned the TV off. But then, he just didn't feel like changing that fact at all.

"Ahhhrgh," Shizuo made a noise between a sigh and a growl.

How could such an annoying little pest perturb him in such a way? Meaning, of course, that Izaya had, like always, a switch to blow his cool. Though, Shizuo shouldn't have felt surprised about it. Ever since they met in High School, Izaya had had a thing to stir something within him. Up to these days, that thread that bound them together hadn't changed much. Of course, until _that_ happened between them.

Shizuo frowned. Now that he was too tired to even get the chance to get angry at the thoughts he didn't want to confront, he thought about it. In reality, he hadn't had a single opportunity to ask Izaya about that night. When the raven came to his house soaked in rain and pale like a ghost.

What was it that could set Orihara Izaya in such a state?

Shizuo hadn't reflected on that matter enough. He'd been too occupied worrying about the increasing of his heartbeat to even care about others things. However, the fact that the thing that set Izaya into such emotion was the cause of _that_ that occurred between them was intriguing.

Well, to clear his doubts, the only thing he could do was to talk to Izaya.

But the solution itself had become a problem.

Shizuo just couldn't simply call him to ask about it. Well, in fact, he _could_ do it, and he had the right to do it, but the correct statement was that Shizuo didn't find the power to press the keys of his cell phone and talk politely with Izaya. Since the fact was that neither of them had once talked normally to each other, and that when Shizuo thought about calling Izaya, he'd break into a cold sweat and become a wrecked ball full of anxiousness.

Okay, that was exaggerated, but it was close to the feeling anyway.

Shizuo sigh-growled again. He didn't have an appetite, nor the willpower to try to make something for himself. Lately, eating alone was even bitterer than before.

Shizuo was ready to go to bed when a ruffle outside his window caught his attention.

_Knock, knock, knock_.

It was a polite call… at the window.

Shizuo was standing in the middle of his living room, looking stupefied by it.

"Shizu-chan, I know you're there. Stop standing like an idiot and open the window. I think I'm slipping…"

In less than two − no, three seconds− the window was open and Shizuo was helping Izaya climb in.

"What the hell were you doin'?" was Shizuo's irritated question. "You could've used the door!"

Izaya smiled, "I was going to, but I thought it would be fun to use the window~! Though, I forgot that the walls were slippery from the rain, so I almost fell! Twice!"

"Are you crazy? You wanna break your neck? !" Shizuo wanted to, literally (precisely), hit some sense into that head.

"I'm not quite myself these days, am I?" Izaya's smile in that moment was unreadable.

"What'd you mean?"

"Have you heard about 'Hauser's Memory'?"

"I'm no-good with names."

"It's a story about transferring memories into other people. Like if I was to copy my memories into your brain. Memory tends to be the accumulation of knowledge and experience itself, so if memories get transferred, it might even change the person's entire personality. Memory is supposed to be connected as a single line, not a scattered set of dots. But they might just be fragments that the brain recognized as a single line…"

"I'm not into sci-fi…"

"Let me finish," Izaya laughed lightly, instead of getting angry. "Where I was…? Oh, right. So there's a chance you might not even notice another person's memories slipping into your own. On the other hand, the person with the new memories might not notice that their personality has changed, even though everyone around them sees the difference. Or the memories might clash, and refuse to become one."

"…Hm," Shizuo said.

"Hehe, maybe that's what happened to me~" Izaya wore that unreadable expression again. "Don't you think, Shizu-chan? An aliens' experiment or something~."

"I doubt it."

"Eh? What's with the serious answer?"

"'Cause, you are still you. Annoying as ever. And you're not weak enough to let somethin' like that to happen to you."

"…This is surprising, you have more faith in me that I, wait, I've never thought you had faith in me to begin with! Hahaha!"

"See? You _are_ still you…" −Which is somehow reassuring.−

"Whatever." The ruffling sound from earlier was the plastic bag Izaya had been carrying while still climbing the wall. "Let's eat!" Izaya said cheerfully.

•••••

**{**−The official report of the Keishichō city police department is inconsistent. The fact that a spontaneous combustion on the top of the trees occurred with this weather is ridiculous. The most feasible answer is some sort of chemical previously prepared−**}**

Each time the channel was changed, the same problem was discussed by the reporters.

**{**−Theories say that it's an undercover for a new weapon developed by−**}**

They couldn't talk about anything else.

**{**−The government is hiding the truth! This is a clear display of pyrokinesis−**}**

The TV was turned off.

"Hey!" Izaya complained.

"You were watching the news with a weird face," Shizuo said, glancing at him, mildly serious.

"…I wasn't…" Izaya answered slowly. "…I didn't make a weird face."

"Yes, you did," Shizuo said.

"…" Izaya didn't say more and slumped on the couch, lost in thought.

Shizuo tried to understand the sudden mood. Izaya was restless, maybe even worried. But why?

Now was his chance to ask about everything.

"Hey, Izaya. Tell me−" Shizuo was interrupted by Izaya getting up from the couch and walking to the window.

"Well, I have to go."

"Huh? What? Wait!" Shizuo yanked Izaya back by the collar of his shirt.

"Oi! Don't ruin my clothes!" Izaya complained, and was turning his head over his shoulder to glare at Shizuo when the word _fuck_ settled in his mind. Shizuo pulled the shirt harder.

"What the hell is this?" Shizuo asked in a dark tone, looking at the big tattoo across Izaya's shoulder blades with the words _Ignis Fatuus_.

•••••

"Tell me the truth, dammit!"

"I told you for the umpteenth time already! I'm not into that stuff!"

"Liar," Shizuo said angrily. "What the hell is this shit on your back then, huh? !"

"_Drugs_; brute, have nothing to do with this! And for the record, I can do whatever I want with my body! That includes tattoos!" Izaya glared, fighting to put his shirt back on but unable to do so because of Shizuo's inconsiderate tugs.

Shizuo was lifting Izaya's shirt to get a better view of the disgusting black letters on Izaya's skin. "Erase it," Shizuo spat. "Now."

"What? You, I can't believe it! Let go of my shirt already, idiot!" Izaya yelled, annoyed. "Are you insane? It's just a tattoo! Just ink!" Izaya was finally able to put his shirt back on and moved a few steps away.

But his retreat was stopped by Shizuo's hands on either of his wrists.

"You unreasonable twit." Izaya said through clenched teeth, "Let me go."

"Oh, no. You're not goin' 'till you explain yourself." Shizuo felt very confused and angry and kind of betrayed, for some reason.

The sky outside drummed with thunder. At the same time, the lights were getting dull, losing their energy. Until the blackout happened.

_Thud_. _Thud_. _Thud_.

Something fell on the kitchen's floor, on the living room and apparently in the contiguous room. For a fraction of second, Shizuo's attention was diverted, giving Izaya the opportunity to sneak away.

The window opened and in mere seconds, Izaya was sliding down.

"Oi!" Shizuo shouted. "Wait!"

Shizuo ran across his living room, stumbling a few times into a nightstand, his couch, his shoes and finally smacking (and partially breaking) his door.

Izaya was long gone by then.

"Shit!"

•••••

"Eeek! Don't hurt me!" Shinra squirmed under the dark gaze. "I really don't know!"

"Stop lying. You're his doctor. You have to know where he's living," Shizuo growled.

"Y-Yeah, but he usually changes his address like he changes his shoes." Shinra defended. "I don't know if he's moved."

"Don't care. Tell me." Shizuo answer was final.

Shinra scratched the back of his head. "OK, I'll give it to you, but don't blame me if you don't find him there."

"…"

"What are you going to do?"

"Give him what he deserves…"

•••••

The door of the apartment was ajar. There was a lot of commotion in the city. Noise, noise, noise.

"Izaya, calm down, it's okay. I'm here. "

Izaya was grabbing Kadota's neck for his dear life. His head was a mess, he felt exhausted and his back was burning, literally. He just wanted the pain in his head to go away. He wanted that comfort he'd felt before with _that_ person, he just wanted _him_ by his side. Izaya wanted "Shizu…chan…"

Izaya whispered pleadingly, right into Kadota's ear.

Kadota couldn't help but stop, stand in the middle of Izaya's office and let him cling to him. He didn't move, he didn't speak, he didn't ask more than, "What did you say?" He was holding his waist and back with his arms.

"You can't leave him alone, can you?" an angry voice growled from the doorframe.

Shizuo entered the apartment, walking to the office where Kadota and Izaya were standing.

"The same goes for you," Kadota said with mild animosity.

"…hurts…" Izaya mumbled against Kadota's clothes.

Kadota brought his attention back to Izaya. "It's okay, I'll get you something for the pain." Kadota dragged the almost dead weight to the nearest chair.

"What the hell happened to him?" Shizuo asked.

"It's none of your concern, is it?" Kadota replied.

They were having a very dangerous argument.

Shizuo grinded his teeth, gripping Kadota by the collar and bringing him close to his face.

"It is my fucking business!"

Kadota just wore a serious look, replying evenly, "Why?"

"Because he's!" Shizuo said. "He's my…"

"He is what to you, Shizuo?" Kadota pressed more. What was he trying to do?

In the background, Izaya was muttering _quiet_, _silence_, _stop_, until he couldn't take it anymore. He shouted.

"Shut up!"

As the words left his lips, the lights of his apartment shattered. Like in a shockwave, all the lights died and pieces of glass fell all over the floor. Above that, on the window's surface, cracks and fissures moved, appearing along the panes. The electricity and noise had escaped, leaving an absolute silence behind.

Still holding his head between his hands, Izaya spoke, "Don't get out." Shizuo and Kadota were frozen stiff; their bodies weren't responding, their minds weren't thinking, their hearts were barely beating. Though the feeling was foreign to both of them, they couldn't help but feel a sheer thrill running through their veins.

"Don't get out." Izaya repeated those words over and over again, like a mantra trying to conceal a demon, like a tamer trying to control a wild beast. Something wasn't right. Something had been lost. Something was about to happen.

Suddenly the words stopped, and Izaya slowly removed his hands from his face.

Izaya glanced at them with boredom. Shizuo and Kadota's hearts skipped a beat; their bodies felt hot and their breathing quickened.

They could only stare at Izaya with utter ecstasy.

Fire spread through floors and walls, crimson flames danced their way through the space.

Hued red eyes were glowing in golden light.

"_Kishishi_…"

•••••

**{**…Chaos and panic engulfed the metropolitan area in Shinjuku tonight, the destruction was caused by an intense fire. The numbers of the victims are still unknown. This is a fatidic day for Tokyo…**}**

•To Be Continued•

**A/N:** I've been gone like forever. I'm sorry. But many things have happened, and I've been sick, damn, I thought I was going to _die_! Seriously, D-I-E. But, I'm fine now (somehow)! So, I brought a lot of stuffs (probably too many!) for you guys. Also, we are reaching the end of this plot-line. So very close to the end...

•It's just a suggestion but you should read the first chapter(s) again, for several reasons that I'm too lazy to explain.

If you find some kind of mistakes in the 'News' that I presented before, please tell me so. Even more if it's related to the locations of the stations and the places. I did my research though, so I'm not making things up from the air.

•'What the hell was Kadota doing in Izaya's apartment? !' Explanations in the next chapter.

**Ignis Fatuus** (Fuego Fatuo/ Will-o'-the-wisp/Corpse candle/jack-o'-lantern/etc.) is the folklore term for a _ghostly light_ sometimes seen at night or twilight; it has many meanings in many cultures, from Fairies, spirits of the dead, pixies, snakes, demons and so on through all the world. I can't define it here (too much typing already). I'm just going to use the only related thing with all of the myths; the element of Fire. And the fact that that light behaves xxx and its purpose is xxx (I won't give spoilers, go Wiki it).

•If you remember, Tsugaru said in chapter 6 "**Aut viam inveniam aut faciam**/I shall either find or make a way." It has a specific purpose.

No, it's not just for decoration; it has to do with his powers. Hibiya, Delic and Izaya-kun (the other Izaya in Izaya's dreams) also have theirs. Think of those phrases as triggers for their hidden powers. In my head it's more complicated than that though, but the word 'trigger' simplifies it correctly.

•So, to make a _long_ explanation short, Izaya's power is pyrokinesis: derived from the Greek words **πῦρ** (_pûr_, meaning "fire, lightning") and **κίνησις** (_kínesis_, meaning "motion"), it was the name coined by horror novelist Stephen King for the ability to create or to control fire with the mind, which he gave to the protagonist Charlie McGee in 'Firestarter'.

Several works of fiction explain pyrokinetic powers as being the ability to excite or speed up an object's atoms, increasing their thermal energy until they ignite. Not necessarily objects, but also air particles.

It is said that how someone who is pyrokinetic starts fires is that they use their minds to speed up the atoms in something until it has enough heat energy to the point that it ignites. Although, in order to make the atoms move with one's mind requires the ability of telekinesis, which can be defined as the displacement of matter with the mind. So theoretically, pyrokinesis in itself is just a form of telekinesis, because you are moving atoms with your mind to start a fire, and moving fire with the mind, which is a gas, which is a form of matter. So in order to move fire with the mind, one must possess the ability of telekinesis.

Yeah, that is what it is. I hope you didn't find the explanation boring… and if you did, here:

"**Foe yay!"**is such a wonderful term: 

−Oh, you. You just couldn't let me go, could you? This is what happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object. You are truly incorruptible, aren't you? Huh? You won't kill me out of some misplaced sense of self-righteousness. And I won't kill you because you're just too much fun. I think you and I are destined to do this forever.

−You'll be in a padded cell forever.

−Maybe we can share one. You know, they'll be doubling up, the rate this city's inhabitants are losing their minds.

(LMAO XD) You guess who said this. Also, does it remind you of someone(s)? Hm?

And last: "It should be noted that in troll language, the word _friend_ is exactly the same as the word for _enemy._" –Andrew Hussie, Homestuck.

•I hope this was an exciting chapter! Thank you very much for all your favorites and reviews! Reading them sure encourages me to write more! ALSO! Welcome new fans (?) of this story! Please, don't be shy and express yourself with a comment! (I know who you are "nameless" reader! Drop one review at least! :/)


	15. Chapter 15

Recap:

"Don't get out." Izaya repeated those words over and over again, like a mantra trying to conceal a demon, like a tamer trying to control a wild beast. Something wasn't right. Something had been lost. Something was about to happen.

Suddenly the words stopped, and Izaya slowly removed his hands from his face.

Izaya glanced at them with boredom. Shizuo and Kadota's hearts skipped a beat; their bodies felt hot and their breathing quickened.

They could only stare at Izaya with utter ecstasy.

Fire spread through floors and walls, crimson flames danced their way through the space.

Hued red eyes were glowing in golden light.

"_Kishishi_…"

•Etched nightmares•

As the presence of those we love is as a double life, so absence, in its anxious longing and sense of vacancy, is as a foretaste of death. –Anna Brownell Jameson.

•••••

_This is the start of his dreams._

_It is the start of his nightmares._

Izaya was learning how to control his new abilities. He wanted to be able to control them as quick as possible. He believed that the faster he knew how to use them, the faster he could be back to his old life. He wanted to be able to fool himself with that thought.

But he knew better; the time that passed couldn't be replaced or brought back.

He was changing; he wasn't the same Izaya. Bit by bit, everything distorted. However, he was trying to adapt, to survive, and to remain like he once was.

On the third day of his training, in the night, he dreamed a lonely, deep dream.

The place he was in wasn't like other times. He could feel it. It was different. As if the place belonged to him. As if the place was a part of him. He could feel that the place was himself.

But he was standing in darkness. No form, no ground, no light. He stood in nothingness for a long time, just waiting. The next thing he knew, he was awake and standing in a crumbling building.

Izaya managed to escape from the place. But, with utter confusion, he noticed where he was.

Izaya was in Saitama, in a foreign place in the middle of the night, standing in front of a building engulfed in flames.

Izaya was aware that the most likely conclusion was that he was the cause of the fire.

He left the place with quick steps. How could he be? He was asleep. He didn't remember anything. Why did he immediately guess that he himself was the culprit? How could he be so sure about it?

Why could he feel that someone was whispering into his ear?

•••••

Four times.

Four inexplicable fires have been set around the metropolitan area in the past weeks.

Four times he has awoken in the middle of the night without recollection of his memories.

Four times he felt that someone was breathing on his neck.

Four times he has felt his heart submerged into cold ice.

"Why aren't you doing _anything_?" Izaya growled.

Tsugaru smiled, "As long as you're fine…" It was a cold smile. "I don't care about anyone else." Tsugaru tilted his head to the side. "You're smart. You should know how much antipathy I bear against the things I don't have interest in."

Izaya was shaking in ire.

"Hoho~," Tsugaru smiled broadly, "That's the spirit! Pull it out, sweetie. Erase unnecessary thoughts, clean your soul, and only resurrect your most basics instincts…"

_Crack! Snap! Snap!_

Like a lightning strike slicing through a tree, the windows of Izaya's apartment cracked open.

"_Cute_! You're so cute! You tried to cut my head!" Tsugaru cheered happily. "But, it's still too soon for you to try that technique… Oh, I'm sorry, sweetie. You want me to hug you?"

"_Stay away._" Izaya hissed darkly.

"You are cute, seriously." Tsugaru sighed, amused, "Well, concerning the experiences you had these past weeks I can tell that it's partially my fault. I never considered that _he_ would wake up, as well as your abilities. Psyche had _it_ under control. I…

"I never thought that you would be this powerful…"

•••••

Slowly, the sounds became louder, awakening his senses from lethargy. Like a wave resounding in the distance, the noise charged at him. The rain fell over him like a backdrop in a theater. Standing still, he opened his eyes; gazing ahead, he saw a river. The surface was filled with moss and grayish plants. A tank, a school bus, a semaphore, junk and so, filled the water. He turned to his left.

He was standing in the middle of a bridge that connected to a thick forest. The dark green trees stretched upwards, seeking the sky. He couldn't see beyond that point, but he knew that something was there. Something was gazing at him. The street's post further to his left flickered and its light died down, and with that he couldn't distinguish anything anymore. It was brief, but he saw a red dot shining through the dense forest and mist. He moved his gaze from the forest to his right, there was light provided by two posts.

**CAUTION**

**NO TRESPASSING**

**KEEP OUT**

His sight caught the broken, but still recognizable, signals at the sides of the guardrails of the bridge. In addition, there were several orange cones located on the way. The end of the bridge on his right was connected to one staircase of concrete; the stairs went up. At the sides of the path, trees were growing up. On the highest point of the stairs, there was a light shining like a fake sunrise.

Something was happening on the other side. A buzzing sound was echoing in his ears.

_Don't. No. Don't go. No. Don't._

Curious, he thought about walking to the place. He thought that he wanted to know about it. He walked, passing the warnings, and went up to the stair.

It was a gigantic garden surrounded by fire and trees. Through the smoke, he could distinguish a silhouette. A man stood in the middle of the garden with his arms raised to the sky; his hands were burning, the flames dancing on the palms of his hands. He was laughing. The rain was falling, but the fire didn't die down. It kept burning.

"Kishishi... we are alive! We are alive! And it's all thanks to you! Orihara Izaya!"

The man turned and grinned. "You're a good man! Yes, you are! You have set us free!" The man approached Izaya, who was just watching the flames at the man's sides; they were moving out of the way when the man walked. The flames were obeying his will.

"You didn't lock us, like Psyche did." He looked straight to Izaya, both of his eyes crimson red. "You won't lock us, will you?" He didn't wait for Izaya's reply. "We apologize for our manners. We haven't given you our name, have we?"

Izaya could barely stand the pressure in his heart as _he_ came closer and closer.

"You can call us Roppi…"

•••••

When Izaya woke up, the tops of the trees in the central park in Shinjuku were burning. Izaya left the place immediately. He was near his apartment; he could even see it from his window.

Tsugaru wasn't there. Izaya was mortified about everything. He couldn't bear it anymore. That person Roppi was the one starting those fires. He wasn't the one! And that time in the train too! What was he playing at?

What could he do?

He wanted a solution.

Or at least, he wanted to feel better.

The only thing he could think of in that moment was that he wanted to see his beloved monster. He looked outside and saw the rain falling heavily. He didn't care. Without much of a thought, he walked to Ikebukuro.

•••••

It's been like three weeks. So Izaya thought that an offering to the beast was the best. He picked up fast food and walked to Shizuo's. Izaya was standing at the front door of the place, but his brain told him that it was better to show up in a different way to redirect Shizuo's anger. After all, something was telling him that Shizuo might not be so happy if he showed up nonchalantly at his door after three weeks of absence without a call or msg whatsoever.

The window was the best solution, and it ended in him almost falling… twice.

But the moment he felt Shizuo's hands grip his arms, everything else disappeared. A breath of relief left his lips. And for some reason, he felt at ease enough to even make a serious joke about what was happening to him with the theory of the memory slipping, which in some sense, had some relation with what was happening to him.

But he never thought that Shizuo would act like that. More relief flowed as he thought that at least Shizuo hadn't changed in that aspect.

They ate the food he brought, and Izaya had completely forgotten about Roppi and Tsugaru, until the News and the reporters talked about the incident of the Central Park in Shinjuku.

He was thinking about Roppi and that he didn't know what his plans were. He really didn't want to know, though. And that was when Shizuo turned off the TV, telling him that he was making weird faces. Izaya knew he was making them, but wasn't going to admit it.

And the spell… The pseudo-magical-spell broke when Izaya noticed Shizuo's trail of thought.

He wanted to talk about _that_.

He wasn't going to confront or discuss those things, not until the most important issues were settled… Or those things that Shizuo wanted to discuss were never going to be discussed by them; most likely, never.

And then, Shizuo saw it.

Shizuo saw the tattoo, the key, or medium, to his powers and began to annoy him about it. He really didn't understand why he was so angry about a tattoo (just ink) on his (Orihara Izaya's property) body!

But Izaya couldn't control his own emotions in front of that man; he felt very excited and angry. And he used a small portion of his abilities to get away from Shizuo.

When Izaya was walking back to his house, he couldn't help but to feel his heart warm and a smile play on his lips.

•••••

"You just don't get it, do you? We are _not_ stuck here with you, you are stuck here with us," Roppi said.

Izaya had noted that he talked in plural sometimes, as if there was someone else with him. But he really didn't give damn about his speech. He had to ask.

"What do you want?" Izaya asked, not noting his location.

"What do we want?" Roppi said. "We want to become one with you, of course! We want you to become ours alone! We want your potential! We want to erase disgusting parasites from the universe! Like humankind! Those living pests!" Roppi moved closer to Izaya. "But, above all, we want to engrave our real name in you: '_Pulvis et umbra sumus.'_" Roppi was sliding his arms around Izaya's back, nuzzling his face into his neck. "We want your love…" Roppi grinned against Izaya's skin.

Izaya was aghast. He couldn't move from where he was standing.

He could only think:

_I'm going to… die..._

•••••

_Pulvis et umbra sumus_

We are but dust and shadow.

•••••

Every time Izaya dreamed with Roppi, his heart ached with cold, as if it'd been pierced with a stack of ice. This time was the worst. His head was going to explode and he wasn't near his apartment, but somehow he managed to get out of his dream without any incident. But he couldn't be sure. He needed to find Tsugaru. This time was different.

Luckily… or not, Izaya was found by Kadota, who innocently had thought that Izaya was drunk and hung-over. Little did he know about the problem he was getting into. Izaya was fighting a silent war inside his mind, fighting for dominance of his own body. It was something delicate, but neither Kadota nor Shizuo knew it. Until it was too late… Until Izaya lost control−

"Kishishi…" Roppi laughed evilly with mirth. He was going to have fun!

−and the chaos engulfed the city.

•••••

−The battle hasn't ended.−

Go away. Go away. Go away!

_There's no one we fear but ourselves._

Your existence itself is terror!

_We'll turn to ashes anything that makes us suffer._

Leave me alone!

_Humans are so horrible… truly the worst!_

I'm going to kill you…

•••••

A cave, a weird cave… why did he think it was weird? Everything was weird, he shouldn't be surprised. Heck, he even knew he himself was weird. Sand. There was sand everywhere; in the ground, falling from the ceiling like waterfalls and on the walls. Under the surface of the ground, a marbled floor appeared. Curiously, it had the same pattern as his game of Chess. There was no light, but he could see everything.

"Hey, why don't you love us back?" Roppi asked. "We love you, very deeply."

"How could I love something that wants me to disappear?" Izaya spat, getting away from Roppi.

"We don't want you to disappear, we just want you to sleep for a bit."

"You're disgusting, how can you not love humans?" Izaya said, gaining time. If he didn't find a way to get out… it was over.

"Humans are humans. Humans are despicable, humans are the only beings who would kill without a reason or for unreasonable reasons."

"Thus, you're human, doing unreasonable things like mass-killing."

"I'm not a parasite, I'm just making a solution. Their deaths would be a breath of relief for your planet, don't you think?"

"I don't care about the earth, I only care about my wellbeing and I think I'm not ready to go to prison because of your stupid acts," Izaya muttered. "Or to die by your hands."

"Silly, silly, we won't let anything bad to happen to you! We love you very much! When we get your love, everything will be alright!"

A spark snapped at Izaya's side and seconds after, a wall of fire was surrounding him.

"Worry not! You'll be with us forever!"

Izaya began to cough from the smoke of the flames. His vision was beginning to get blurry, and his mind was getting dizzy.

For a brief moment, he saw a red dot. That wasn't there before.

The flames were moving closer and closer. Izaya fell onto his knees, covering his mouth and nose. Roppi was smiling on the other side. Izaya was losing consciousness, but in a flash, a second flame cut over a part of the flaming-wall, successfully vanishing the flames. Izaya didn't know how, but he was out of Roppi's wall and in the hold of a stranger.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" Roppi snapped, glaring daggers at the man holding Izaya. "This is an enclosed place for us. Leave!"

The man was tall and the hold around Izaya's chest only tightened. With his free hand, he removed his dark mask. It fell to the ground and out of nowhere, a machine gun was pointed at Roppi.

"Orihara Izaya… I'm taking him with me."

•••••

Izaya's internal battle was unfolding in the same instants that Shizuo and Kadota were about to debate between life and death.

Fortunately, they weren't alone in the middle of despair and confusion.

A pair of eyes was gazing at the beginning of Roppi's uproar, waiting for the moment to make the right decision for that desperate moment.

There was still hope.

•To Be Continued•

…

Too many favorites.

Just a few reviews.

Please stop stomping on my self-esteem.

And give a damn comment.


	16. Chapter 16

•Etched Future•

The flames were eating the buildings; the fire had not only set in Izaya's office. It was a chain reaction; buildings all along the area were being consumed by flames. Like a living animal, the blazing fire crept over the walls, destroying everything in its pace. The city was in panic, and the firemen were already trying to stop the incessant wreckage. A mass of people was escaping the area. They were seeking salvation.

Shizuo could barely see through the thick smoke, his lungs were hurting for all he'd inhaled, but he couldn't do anything about it. He couldn't move. He was powerless. His muscles, his bones, and his nerves were numb. Shizuo didn't know how he was managing to breathe because he was sure his brain was frozen.

Even though the building was crumbling and cracking around him, he couldn't help but be thrilled. Something else was controlling him, something was stimulating his senses to feel pleasure, because never before had the sole action of looking at Izaya made him so excited. It wasn't a sensual pleasure, it was something more confusing and frightening, yet amazing and devious; it was simply marvelous. Shizuo was probably out of his mind.

Izaya's eyes were hypnotizing him. It felt like a dream, a gorgeous nightmare.

Izaya was moving towards him and Shizuo could only wait. Their gazes were connected.

A cobra targeting its prey.

Izaya smiled. That's what Shizuo had thought, but it wasn't Izaya who was smiling at him. The one smiling, the one destroying, the one who was agonizing the city was Roppi. An _ens_ who Shizuo would never understand. Roppi was in control of Izaya's body. Roppi wanted Izaya's latent powers and abilities. Roppi wanted chaos and misery. But above all, he wanted to monopolize Izaya, and he would get rid of anything that was more important to Izaya than Roppi himself.

Izaya loved humanity.

Roppi decided that humanity could perish.

But, Roppi knew that something was slowly taking the first place in Izaya's heart.

Izaya… no, Roppi smiled again and looked at Shizuo, and said with a sweet voice,

"You will die today."

•••••

The used ammunition was falling like rain on the ground. The sound was deafening to Izaya's ears, each shot ringing twice as hard in the closed space of the cave they were in. The air was hot, and crimson and green flames were dancing in the background. The flames seemed to be alive, eating each other; ripping and tearing the ground apart. Izaya could faintly hear the brawls of beasts feasting in the distance. He was so tired… So, so tired…

'…_Maybe I'm better off dead_…' Izaya thought as a malign gray mist began to cover his sight and numb his senses.

The shots stopped and the man holding him shook him viciously.

"Keep those foolish thoughts at bay, Orihara." The man spoke a in harsh tone, and his body was burning with green fire. A figure formed behind the man's back within the green flames.

'_A wolf_…?' Izaya thought, regaining some composure.

"The choice is yours to save yourself." The man told him, his tone still severe.

The man didn't get a reply. But he didn't need it. He was someone who could understand others by touching them. His arm wrapped around Izaya was the only thing he needed in order to know his wishes.

The flame-shaped wolf behind them that grew in size and charged forward was Roppi was advancing and doing his attack.

"We need to move from here." The man pulled Izaya onto his feet and said with a straight face, "I need you to stay alive."

•••••

"What are you thinking?" Roppi played with a small flame that was sticking at his clothes. "You might have brain-damage, don't you? You were the only one here when we woke up. That Kadota guy was never standing beside you."

Shizuo didn't understand what was going on. He felt so confused.

"Tell us the difference between love and death, will you?" Roppi asked. He moved around like a hunter savoring the time of a kill.

Shizuo was just standing still, unable to move; an intangible, unknown force was stopping him.

"No answers?" Roppi hugged Shizuo from behind, wrapping his arms around his torso and pressing the side of his face on Shizuo's back. "You see, the answer is that you _fear_ them both… No one can get away from it, nor oppose it, and both take your breath away… it isn't like a tremor, it's worse than tremor, it's utter terror for the heart… it feels like as if somebody is gripping your throat and squeezing and… I guess you can tell, right?"

Roppi pushed his body from Shizuo. "After all, you are in love with Izaya."

Suddenly, Shizuo was able to breathe, think and move. He felt like a huge burden was lifted from his body.

"You're a meddlesome monster," Roppi said disdainfully.

When Shizuo was finally free of the oppression, he got shot with that statement.

Love?

In love with Izaya?

During their time together, he had not thought, not even once, the word _love_. Izaya and that word simply didn't mix together. But why was he asking it as if he was another person? What was happening to him? Shizuo found the willpower to ask such questions in his mind, but.

Roppi sneered and happily said. "We can't resist anymore, we want to see you dead!"

_Boom!_

Shizuo felt as if thousands of needles were piercing through his body. The pressure was so strong that it forced his body to bend. He fell onto the floor gasping for air. His muscles were screaming in pain. Shizuo felt as if his skull was ripping into two halves. Agony whirled in his system.

"Nice~." Roppi said. "You're the strongest of Ikebukuro, no?" Roppi kicked Shizuo's side, forcing him to lay on his back. "But your mind is weak." Roppi tilted his head to the side while licking his lips. "We'll savor every second of suffering~"

•••••

Izaya could hear the soft sound of water running. With his eyes closed, he pictured a quiet, peaceful river; he was floating and moving in a gentle water-stream. The sunbeams were passing through the green leaves and branches of trees, clearing their way into the crystalline water below. The breeze was making random leaves fall onto the water, causing mini-waves to run along the surface. Birds were singing their songs and…

_No_.

That wasn't it.

Wrong. That's _wrong_. It wasn't real. There was gunpowder. It reeked of blood. Everything was wrong. Nothing was real anymore.

"Orihara! Look at me!"

Izaya felt weak and dizzy.

"He's trying to get into your conscious. Don't let him do it. Just bear with it a bit more. We're almost there."

Izaya glanced at the thing the man held in his hand. The man threw a grenade behind them. After the explosion, they reached a place where a motorbike was parked.

"Hold tight," the man said as he started the engine.

•••••

"How long has it been since I fell into this dream? You thought." Roppi smiled smugly. "It's been only five minutes, but it's enough to torture you, create a disaster in this city, and enough to find Izaya. That guy who's interfering is quite powerful… but it doesn't matter. This power we're taking is more than enough! When we get hold of Izaya, we'll be unstoppable!"

Shizuo panted on the floor.

"But first~"

A cry of pain stuck in Shizuo's throat as his nerves were pressed and pulled, packed and stretched from their inner core. His head lolled back. He wanted to pass out so badly. But he was restrained from doing so.

"You're boring…" Roppi said. He sat on Shizuo's stomach, gazing down at him. "At this point, you should be begging for mercy, cursing Izaya's name or simply wishing for the Grim Reaper to come to get you. After all, we've ripped off your fingernails one by one, we've broken and torn your muscles and bones, sliced and ripped your limbs and we've skinned you alive countless of times. Of course, figuratively speaking. We haven't touched one single strand of that hair of yours. Frightening, it isn't it? We can kill you with our brain~."

Shizuo just sighed shakily.

Roppi snorted. "Let's finish this. Any final words? Not that you can talk, though."

Shizuo closed his eyes, thinking.

"What?" Roppi stopped in his tracks. "You wish that Izaya wasn't so crazy?"

There was a prolonged silence.

"…you're really stupid. Do you think that we're Izaya? Well, we'll tell you this. We're not Izaya. And the explanation of our existence is too complex for a minuscule brain like yours to comprehend. So, we're just going to say that we are Izaya's relatives. So now, please die."

Shizuo waited for the final blow.

Instead, soft delicate hands grabbed his face. "Hey! Wake up! Come on! We don't have much time!"

Shizuo opened his eyes and saw a pair of yellow eyes.

"Iza-nyan isn't going to forgive me if something happens to you! Or rather, I wouldn't forgive myself if I didn't do anything! I'm going to force that Tsugaru guy to pay me twice the price!"

A girl.

A girl was lifting him from the ground as if he didn't weight over 70 kg. As they were getting away from the flames and Izaya, Shizuo noticed that the movements of the flames were slow, like in a shot of a camera in slow-motion. It seemed as if time had stopped and they were the only ones able to move.

Shizuo muttered out of sympathy, "This is the most fucked up dream I have ever had…"

•••••

It was an intermittent light of hope descending over him. Relief and despair were hand in hand, traveling alongside his future. Izaya should be angry. Izaya should be happy. Izaya should feel everything. Izaya should feel nothing.

This was reality in a dream. The thin frail line of reality had snapped and merged as a real-dream in the depths of his existence.

A sweet delightful scent lulled his senses, comforting him with tenderness and warmth.

Izaya hung onto that moment, seeking and keeping that feeling for himself.

The insecurities that flourished in his consciousness were relegated to a second plane. The circumstances were favorable for now.

There were soft things grazing him, touching his skin as if he was precious. He enjoyed the cold breeze against his face, like a breath of life for his soul.

There was a soft _clank_ sound in the distance. Izaya opened his eyes, slowly adjusting to the light in the place. Like in his previous dream, Izaya saw how sunbeams were passing through the foliage of trees outside the windows, but unlike before, this felt right. The place was full of bookshelves but instead of books, what was arranged inside them was every kind of gun and ammunition. The roof of the place was high; more guns and strange devices were hanging from the ceiling in some sort of exhibition. The second floor was connected with a single staircase.

Izaya rose from the place he was laying. Green petals fell from his head. There were more sticking to his clothes. Izaya took one between his fingers and found the sensation similar to the one he felt when he was asleep. He was, quite literally, laying on a bed of roses; green roses, to be precise.

"I wouldn't move from there if I were you," a voice said earnestly. "That's the only thing that's keeping that guy away from you now. Not to mention, that it's keeping up your energy just barely enough to be alive."

Izaya saw the man walking to him.

"Okay, let's cut unnecessary formalities, let's get this straight and clear. My name's Heine. Yes, I saved you. Yes, I do want something from you. Yes, that's the only reason I saved you, because I need something only you can give me. What is that? That's very simple, actually. You know Tsugaru, right? And you know who was his lover, am I correct? I guess he didn't tell you what his purpose is or what he does for a living or who he's acquainted with. Well, Tsugaru and Psyche-"

"Don't do that anymore."

Izaya and Heine turned to the source of the voice and saw Tsugaru standing in the doorframe, wearing a blue kimono.

Heine pulled out his gun and pointed it at Tsugaru.

"No need to be rude. I haven't come to fight you. I'm here, merely looking for my charge." Tsugaru smiled and walked inside. "If you know who I am, then you should know that '_I either find a way or make one_', Heine-san."

"Merely watch?" Heine scowled. "That's doesn't sound convincing to me."

"Think whatever you want to think. I'm here just to ensure Orihara-san's safety."

Suddenly, Tsugaru and Heine looked at Izaya.

"No need to be angry, Orihara-san. I never thought that Roppi would actually kill you. And if you have not noticed, we are also communicating with our minds here, so you don't have to curse that much."

"You have a dirty mind, you know that?" Heine said.

Izaya finally spoke and said, "Fuck you."

•••••

"Crap!" The girl helping to carry Shizuo stumbled on her own shoe, causing the deadly fall for the two of them. They fell on the ground. Hard.

"Damn, dammit, my time is up. My power is gone. Calm, calm. Think, just think. We got quite away from him and even though I'm not good with telepathy, I'm able to hide us both. Yeah, we just need us to get away from him until Tsugaru gets here… or better, we just _have to_ get away from him, like right _now_. Tsugaru, you self-centered bastard! Where are you? I need to carry this big thug all the way without my powers, and where are you? Drinking some apple-juice! I guess! And why the hell aren't you talking, Shizuo-san?" The girl glared at Shizuo, who had managed to rest against the wall of the alley.

"Seriously! You're freaking me out here! Talk! Talk! I knew to talk, 'cuz if I don't do that my mind is going to burst! And what are you doing? Just panting there as if you were… Oh my, shit! I forgot to treat your wounds! Stupid! Stupid! Stupid me! Just wait a bit! I'll do it right away!"

The girl placed her hands on the sides of Shizuo's face and stayed quiet.

Shizuo felt a cold sensation seep through his brain. It was comfortable. He could finally breathe again.

"…There… uff, that was close." The girl slumped her shoulders; she was relieved. "You're very resistant," the girl commented a bit afterward.

Shizuo took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. There were dark and gray clouds forming. The rain was coming.

"Shizuo-san, please wait here. I'll bring Kadota-san to help me carry you. Erm, sorry, if this all so sudden, but the reason why that person said that Kadota wasn't with you was because I saved him first. There's so much I want to explain to you. But, just trust me, I'm your and Izaya-nyan's ally."

She stood, but caught Shizuo's voice. "Why is he doing this?"

"Because… he's selfish…"

•••••

"It's okay. It's okay. You don't have to worry, everything is going to be alright," Tsugaru said gently.

"Stop it! Stop messing with my head!" Izaya fisted the ground in anger while Tsugaru hugged him inconsiderately.

"You're like an open book to us. Deal with it," Heine said as a matter of fact.

Tsugaru turned his head to him and smiled a cold, dreadful smile. "You say any more rude things to Izaya, and I'll rip your tongue off."

"Sheesh, you're also _that_ with him?" Heine talked back, but held his gun tightly in his hand.

"That is none of your concern. You should be more polite with the people you want help from," Tsugaru said blankly.

"I don't want you. I want him." Heine looked at Izaya. "Yes, you're something very valuable for many people. And the moment I noticed him… _they_ also did…"

"This wasn't in my calculations," Tsugaru muttered.

"Anyway, the problem at hand is that freak that wants to possess you. There's only one form available to solve this problem. You have to bring him here… completely… his scent must be over this side…"

"I agree…" Tsugaru rose from the ground where Izaya was sitting.

"But…" Heine said.

Tsugaru looked straight into Izaya's eyes. "After that, you will have control of him with our help, but there's a price, Orihara-san…" Tsugaru wore the same look when he'd told Izaya about who he was. "…But just tell me, do you want to live, regardless of anything that comes from the future?"

"I do."

•••••

The rain was finally falling down.

Love.

He had never been in love.

Not even once.

He had been angry countless of times… and sad, and he had hated… He snorted softly. How much he had hated Izaya. But that meant that he really did mean something for him, didn't it? Always blurry. Everything about them had been blurry, like a curtain of smoke. He was afraid. Because that curtain was vanishing, leaving them exposed. Was it a bad thing, really? The droplets of rain fell over his face. After what that girl did to his head, he felt strangely thoughtful.

What did he want?

What did he want from Izaya?

_Splash, splash, splash, splash…_

Someone was getting near Shizuo.

Shizuo looked to his left and saw that fur coat, now lightly soaked in rain.

_Izaya_ laughed. "Izaya, Izaya, Izaya, Izaya and Izaya! Izaya is what you always think about!"

Shizuo just gazed at him with suspicion.

He crouched in front of Shizuo. "You're such a pitiful _human_." After a moment, he laughed. "We can't believe it! Until now, you didn't understand that we weren't Izaya?

"Yup, Izaya isn't the one doing this chaos. We, Roppi, are the ones playing in this enormous playground." Roppi smiled. "By the way, we should tell you that you aren't going to see Izaya anymore…"

Shizuo, who was in some kind of apathetic state, stilled; his heart began to beat faster, something within his soul stirred uncontrollably.

"You know why…?" Roppi closed the distance between their faces and whispered into his ear. "He'll be _gone_ forever! You won't have him ever again! Hahahaha!"

His body moved of its own accord. Everything happened so fast. His sight was blinded with that familiar red mist of ire and hate. He could faintly hear his own voice shouting at the top of his lungs: "_Give me back Izaya!"_ again and again.

Shizuo's hands were over Izaya's throat.

And…

Everything changed in a second.

"…Shizu…chan…" Shizuo couldn't hear Izaya's voice. "…Well done…" The mist numbing Shizuo's senses began to dissipate, and slowly… so painfully slowly, he realized that−

"Izaya…?"

Izaya gasped for air and Shizuo immediately withdrew his hands. "…you win…"

Panic was rising. "Hey?" Shizuo asked, not able to form any coherent thought anymore.

Izaya chuckled softly, "…Goodbye…."

Izaya looked at Shizuo's pained expression and glanced one last time at the sky, and with a final breath, Izaya's body went limp.

"Izaya!" Shizuo called desperately.

Shizuo shook him. "Izaya, wake up!"

_Wake up, I-I have to tell you…_

A knot was forming in his throat. "Izaya… no… don't… hey…" Seconds after, a sorrowful cry erupted from his heart.

_I have to tell you that…_

What if this was a bleak future…?

_I love you…_

•••••

Only in the agony of parting do we look into the depths of love. –George Eliot.

•To Be Continued•

Thank you very much for your comments!

Next, the final chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N:** I deeply apologize with all of you my wonderful readers for the long wait, I was deep stuck in works, exams, family, new place (college is a whole new level =o), and diverse problems (some of them concerning this fandom :[ ). I don't want to rant over the things I did (and see :I ) so, forgive my irresponsibility and enjoy the last chapter of FgaR.

I had an amazing time writing this story and I'm glad you enjoyed it as well :)

•He was a friend of mine•

It was the loneliest place he had ever seen. It was the most beautiful place that had ever existed. It laid before his eyes. The road was in front of him; a straight line with an undefined end. He walked ahead, stepping on the reddish grass, and staring at the imprecise, wavering horizon. At his sides, lines of white trees and plants stretched upwards, almost touching the clouded sky. The wind whistled into his ears; words without tangible meaning were whispered secretly. Leaves and small flowers of different colors fell graciously all over the place.

He was embraced by the warm air, as if there was really someone hugging him fondly.

Within the thickness of the forest, a purplish mist mixed with the air. The light slowly faded away to the point where he couldn't even see his hands. There was a clicking sound and the light came, blinding him. Several signs appeared; neon light and bulbs of unusual shapes hanging inconsistently from a unknown place in the sky. He blinked a few times and saw further on a table, neatly decorated with a golden tablecloth, an unlimited row of silverware, food and two chairs to sit on.

Pulled by an invisible force, he sat facing a yellowish lake.

The water was calm, without a movement on the surface. There were no waves, there was no life, and yet it was mesmerizing to his eyes. These feelings were a mistake, he thought. There was a feeling inside his chest telling him that something was wrong. But he couldn't possibly point out what it was.

Everything was perfect. Everything was ideal. Everything should be idyllic. Everything in there was for him. Yes, for him. He knew it. Everything was placed solely thinking on his behalf.

A tiny voice, in the back of his head asked, _why are you waiting?_

Why was he there…?

_Alone_.

The realization hit him. Suddenly, he knew what that awful feeling he felt was. The place… there was something missing… No. There was _someone_ missing. The dreaded feeling changed into sorrow and his heart cried in pain. _His name_. What was his name? He rose from his seat, panicking. He didn't remember his name. He was forgetting that person's name. No!

His face, his face was slowly fading away in his mind. Memories were losing their meaning. Places and situations were slowly being erased.

"Stop!" he yelled desperately.

He held his head between his hands, shaking.

_Why do you resist?_

He couldn't forget. He didn't want to forget.

_You are going to suffer._

He didn't care. He could take the pain. It was proof he had lived, it was proof that something was there. It was proof of his hope.

"_Shizu-chan is an idiot." _

•••••

Shizuo sat upright. His heart drummed against his ribcage, and cold sweat rolled over his skin. It took him some time to calm down; he breathed deeply and slowly, evening his heartbeats. A dream. It was a dream. He let out a shaky breath. Damn it all. It felt so real. There was a subtle feeling of warmth over his skin. Shizuo shook his head and jumped off of his bed. He took a light shower and changed quickly into the first thing he could find.

Minutes later, he was striding down the dark alleys and streets of Ikebukuro.

The night and the full moon were his only company.

•••••

"I don't know if I should be impressed or annoyed, Shizuo," Shinra mused aloud. "Anyhow, come on in. I think I know why you came all the way here at three in the morning."

Shinra stepped aside and let Shizuo in. The blond walked directly to the guestroom. Shinra sighed and closed the door. After, he followed Shizuo's path, and like these past five days, Shinra saw him as he stood beside the bed of the room with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You know, you never ask anything about his condition, so I, sometimes… well, most of the time… frankly speaking, _all the time_, I feel like I'm on the edge when you just stay like that watching him… I feel like you are going to jump on him and kill him… or something… Don't look at me like that! You know I have basis to state that hypothesis. Okay, okay, easy. I will shut up now, don't get angry."

There were three whole minutes of silence until Shinra spoke again. "His state is something similar to comatose. However, this wasn't caused by intoxication, or metabolic abnormalities, or the normal head trauma. This seems to be auto-induced, but how he did it is something beyond my judgment. I'm not going to ask what happened." Shinra shrugged. "I mean, you walking here one day with him in your arms, panicking that you might have killed him, was enough shock for me. I never thought you two could actually kill each other. Oh, you know, I found something interesting. Generally a patient who is unable to voluntarily open his eyes doesn't have a sleep-wake cycle, yet, Izaya seems to be dreaming all the time."

Shizuo was quiet the whole time, barely listening to Shinra's rant. He really didn't care about that complicated stuff. The only thing that he wanted to hear about was Izaya's awakening. And that was the only thing Shinra seemed to forget to mention.

At some point, Shinra left and Shizuo sat on the bed watching Izaya _sleep_. He was just asleep, right? He was just resting. Yes, resting and leaving him with tons of questions. Five days ago he was rescued by a weird girl with strange powers. Five days ago someone possessed Izaya's body and threatened to kill everyone, including Shizuo.

Shizuo felt an involuntary shudder at the thought of the pain he had experienced during that time.

He took Izaya's limpid hand in his own and squeezed it. He felt warm but somehow cold.

Izaya couldn't hear him, could he?

He didn't know. He didn't know anything. Were the dreams he had had real? What should he do? He didn't know. The only thing he could do was to wait and pray that some merciful god could ease his pain.

•••••

Shizuo was fascinated by those lips. He, unconsciously, licked his own lips.

"It's rude to stare like that, Shizu-chan."

"Don't care, they're _my_ eyes. I can watch whatever I want with 'em, Izaya-_kun_."

"I beg to differ. If I wanted to, I could rip out those pretty eyes of yours from within your skull and squish them like lemons."

"You think my eyes are pretty? Thanks, man. I like yours better, though, they're like red candy, you know what I mean?"

"How could this discussion end up like this?"

"Dunno," Shizuo shrugged. "When I'm here I feel like I'm high."

"I have to practice more. It's more difficult than I thought to be with you like this."

"What? Hey, hey, I'm not sure what you meant, but don't leave me alone."

"…Yes, you don't know what you are saying, and my presence is affecting you."

"Hey, have I told you that you look good in those?"

"I'm sorry?"

"That outfit. You look hot."

"What on earth is wrong with you?"

"I told you, dunno. Must be your doin'." Shizuo shrugged again and walked over to Izaya. "I feel like I can do anythin'."

Shizuo pushed Izaya down to the ground and pinned his arms above his head. Shizuo brushed his nose against Izaya's face, breathing in deeply every so often. The lips that had been tempting him earlier were close to his own, but he stopped.

Shizuo sat and brought Izaya onto his lap. Shizuo buried his face into Izaya's neck.

"Why did you stop?" Izaya asked, resting his chin on Shizuo's shoulder.

"When are you coming back?" Shizuo replied.

Izaya struggled to speak. "That… I don't know…"

"Is that so…"

The place they were currently sitting in was a small house with a beautiful garden, with various flowers and bushes surrounding them.

"Could you hurry?" Shizuo hadn't moved from his position.

"…Why?" Izaya asked finally, after a long pause.

"'Cuz I miss you."

There was another long pause and Shizuo peered at his companion.

"Don't look!" Izaya freed his arms and held Shizuo's head in place.

"Oof!" Shizuo tried to move. "Why can't I look?"

"Because I say so!"

"…heh, you're blushh-_augh_!"

Shizuo was pressed further into Izaya's sternum. "Shut it!"

Shizuo laughed and said afterwards, "You seriously need to come back…"

"Why? Why can't you just simply think that this is a dream and forget about me?"

"…Have you wished that dreams were really true?"

"No."

"Neither do I… But, since you left, I began to wish them. I began to wish dreams could come true."

•••••

It was morning when Shizuo woke up. His hand was still holding Izaya's. The oxygen mask was still attached to his pale face. A few machines were connected to his body. Shizuo brought his free hand to his face and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

There was a soft knock at the door and Shizuo looked up to see Celty standing in the doorway.

[Good morning.] she typed.

"Mornin'," Shizuo replied sleepily.

[Your boss called me. He's worried about you and he isn't the only one worried about you, Shizuo. You won't tell us why or how the fire started in Shinjuku. Or how Izaya ended up like this…]

Silence followed.

Celty moved her shoulders as if sighing. [I just want you to know that I'm here when you feel like talking, okay? (^^)/ ]

"Thanks," Shizuo said quietly.

[Breakfast is ready. I have a job to do now and Shinra is also out, feel free to use anything you might need. See you later.]

Celty waved goodbye.

Shizuo stood for a few minutes in silence, the warm small hand still on his own. He rubbed his thumb on the back of Izaya's hand. He rose from his chair and planted a kiss on his forehead, then sighed and walked out of the room.

The television was on. The forecast was presented.

**{**We await the end of this rainy season within the next couple of days −**}**

He left Izaya alone for a few moments.

**{−**this is probably the last rainy day−**}**

When he came back, Izaya was no longer in his bed.

Panic engulfed his being. He searched throughout the entire building. The next couple of days, he searched through the entire city.

And the rain seemed to have forgotten how to stop.

•••••

A pair of red eyes looked upward; they roamed through the vast dark sky above his head. Stars were twinkling; he could see comets and meteors travelling in white lines of stardust. Izaya raised his right hand, stretching his palm as if to seize the celestial Astros. The ground underneath his back began to shake; there was a stillness passing through the air. His hand began to shake. Far away from there, a red star rumbled; its inner core started crying and its surface began to die away.

Izaya breathed out and watched with mild curiosity as a new black spot appeared in place of the bright star.

He heard footsteps getting closer to where he was. "There you are," a deep voice said.

"Here I am," Izaya said insipidly.

"May I sit?"

"Of course you can, I don't care either way." Izaya said, his eyes still glued to the sky.

"Your skills are impressive, Orihara-san."

"Tsugaru, pretty please, shut up."

"You are upset. Want me to hug you?" Tsugaru asked with a smile.

"Oh please do, and then let's see how pretty you'll look with the burns I plan to give you~!" Izaya finally looked at Tsugaru. "I promise the burns will carve deep enough to reach your bones, and hurt so badly that you'll want to pass out."

"No matter how appealing that sounds, I have to refuse." Tsugaru's smile was still there.

Clouds began to form, moving their purplish shapes to cover the sky.

"I don't love you," Izaya said, sitting on the ground without looking at Tsugaru.

"I know," Tsugaru replied. "You can't love me because I'm not human, but the real reason is something I knew all along, since the first time I met you."

Izaya keep staring at the sky.

"I do love you, though," Tsugaru said. "After all, you are something correlated to Psyche. I love you also for who you are, and I'm fine with you not loving me back. I feel rather relieved by that, in fact."

Tsugaru moved and hugged Izaya from behind. "Tell me, Orihara-san, what is more frightening? To be loved by me?" Tsugaru kissed Izaya's shoulder. "Or to be loved by Heiwajima-san?"

•••••

"I would say that Heine-san is a masochist," Tsugaru pondered.

"I agree. Just look how happy it gets when you two fight. Though, I would also say that you are a sadist and that both of you should form a really happy relationship of S&M-glee already," Izaya said.

"Oh no, Heine-san is not my type and I'm not into hardcore stuff."

Heine slammed his hands down on the table. "The preparations are arranged. You have twelve hours before we set off," he said venomously.

"It's time to say goodbye."

•••••

It's been three days since Izaya went missing and Shizuo walked through the streets of Ikebukuro like zombie. Something inside of him hung broken. He felt terribly exhausted, mentally and physically. All the people looked just like a big gray mass. He wandered in the streets and alleys until something caught his attention.

Slowly, someone appeared clearly in Shizuo's eyes. A dark jacket and black hair disappeared around the corner of Simon's place. With a stir of emotion, Shizuo ran after the person.

When he caught the person, his mouth hung agape. "Um, sorry I thought that you were someone I know… sorry… I'm sorry." Shizuo said, embarrassed, and hastily drew his hand from a girl who had a curious red color of eyes.

"Huh, that person must be very important to make you do that kind of face," she said, rubbing her sore arm. "Dude, you are strong… and _dumb_, apparently." She was very irritating.

But she was right. "Yeah, he is an important person…"

"So, tell me. If you got just one chance to speak with that important person, what would you say?"

"That's personal info, don't ya think?" She was making him angry.

She made a sly smile. "Just answer, will you? You owe me for this ache in my arm."

For some reason, he couldn't deny that moment. "I'll probably say sorry… 'cuz even though I wanna say a lot of things, I don't think I'd say them at all… I think, I'd say that '_I never thought to fall in love with you'_. You became what I love most in this world. When I wake up you're the first of my thoughts. You're my salvation. I'm the one who wants to love you the most. You have no idea how much I love your smile… Or simply shut his lips with mine. I think it's pretty much the latter."

The girl stood there, frozen stiff. "You… why, oh my, oh lord… don't you dare tell him all of that, okay? You are going to freak him out! What kind of sappy talk have you been practicing?"

Shizuo glared at her. "It's my damn right to tell him what I want. And-"

"Yeah, yeah, but you can't tell him, can you?"

Shizuo stilled. Of course he couldn't tell him. He didn't even know where he was.

"I mean, as soon as you see him again, you are going to kiss him~"

Shizuo looked at the girl strangely. The girl grinned. "When he has his eyes like _this_," she closed her eyes, "you have to kiss him, that way he'll open his eyes~!"

"You're an odd girl."

"Thank you~!" The girl began to walk away. "It's been a painful pleasure to meet you. See you soon~." She winked at him.

After a moment, Shizuo turned in the opposite direction. Soon after, the same problems, his old burdens, attacked his heart. Weird, why did he forget his problems?

Startling him from his thoughts, a voice shouted, "Two years! Shizu-chan!"

Shizuo turned on his feet, but the voice and girl had already disappeared.

How did she know his name?

•••••

People were rushing from place to place in the normal routines they had lived. Busy people walked through the streets of Ikebukuro. From the very top of a tall building, a dark figure stood, his red crimson eyes looking downward. A sly smile hung at the corner of his mouth. It felt as if he had woken up from the end of a dark lonely dream. That was the very minute, the first step of his new life.

When he saw the person he was looking for, he breathed in and shouted the person's name.

He smirked down at the person who looked stupefied. He closed his eyes and took one step, off of the corner of the building.

His name was shouted and he couldn't help but feel happy.

When his body landed, he was finally within the warm embrace of a pair of familiar arms.

_Open your eyes._

•••••

Absence diminishes little passions and increases great ones, as the wind extinguishes candles and fans a fire. – Francois Duc de la Rochefoucaul.

•End•

**A/N:** I hope it was of your liking, it was an incredible trip I had with you. Thanks to you I was able to reach more than 100 comments. It's some kind of personal achievement you allowed me to feel. I'm grateful (in absolutely glee) and also eager to read your comments. This _can_ have a happy ending so you can't complain, lol.

See you somewhere in the future!


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